The Pediatric infectious disease journal
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Pediatr. Infect. Dis. J. · Jul 2009
Multicenter Study Comparative StudyMulticenter study of nucleic acid amplification tests for detection of Chlamydia trachomatis and Neisseria gonorrhoeae in children being evaluated for sexual abuse.
Diagnosis of sexually transmitted infections in children suspected of sexual abuse is challenging due to the medico-legal implications of test results. Currently, the forensic standard for diagnosis of Chlamydia trachomatis (CT) and Neisseria gonorrhoeae (NG) infections is culture. In adults, nucleic acid amplification tests (NAATs) are superior to culture for CT, but these tests have been insufficiently evaluated in pediatric populations for forensic purposes. ⋯ These results suggest that NAATs on urine, with confirmation, are adequate for use as a new forensic standard for diagnosis of CT and NG in children suspected of sexual abuse. Urine NAATs offer a clear advantage over culture in sensitivity and are less invasive than swabs, reducing patient trauma and discomfort.