Evaluation of three automated nucleic acid amplification systems for detection of Chlamydia trachomatis and Neisseria gonorrhoeae in first-void urine specimens

A total of 500 first-void urine specimens were tested for the presence of Chlamydia trachomatis and Neisseria gonorrhoeae nucleic acids using ProbeTec ET reagents on a Viper platform ( BD Diagnostics, Mississauga, Ontario, Canada), Aptima Combo 2 reagents on a Tigris platform (Gen-Probe, Inc., San Diego, CA), and Abbott RealTime CT/NG reagents on an m2000 platform ( Abbott Molecular Diagnostics, Des Plaines, IL). The performance of the three assays for detection of N. gonorrhoeae was comparable, but detection of C. trachomatis by the three assays showed more variation. All three platforms were suitable for the detection of C. trachomatis and N. gonorrhoeae, but additional factors, such as maximum daily specimen throughput, are important in evaluating automated systems for C. trachomatis and N. gonorrhoeae detection in high-volume laboratories.