Gonorrhea laboratory tests: Difference between revisions
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==Overview== | ==Overview== | ||
'''Gonorrhea''' ('''gonorrhoea''' in British English) is amongst the most common [[sexually transmitted disease]]s in the world and is caused by [[Gram-negative]] [[Bacteria|bacterium]] ''[[Neisseria gonorrheae]]''. The term comes from Ancient Greek γονόρροια (''gonórrhoia''), literally "flow of seed"; in ancient times it was incorrectly believed that the [[pus]] discharge associated with the disease contained semen.<ref>[http://www.yourdictionary.com/ahd/g/g0191000.html Definition of the term gonorrhea]</ref> | '''Gonorrhea''' ('''gonorrhoea''' in British English) is amongst the most common [[sexually transmitted disease]]s in the world and is caused by [[Gram-negative]] [[Bacteria|bacterium]] ''[[Neisseria gonorrheae]]''. The term comes from Ancient Greek γονόρροια (''gonórrhoia''), literally "flow of seed"; in ancient times it was incorrectly believed that the [[pus]] discharge associated with the disease contained semen.<ref>[http://www.yourdictionary.com/ahd/g/g0191000.html Definition of the term gonorrhea]</ref> | ||
== | ==Laboratory tests== | ||
Several laboratory tests are available to diagnose gonorrhea. A doctor or nurse can obtain a sample for testing from the parts of the body likely to be infected (cervix, urethra, rectum, or throat) and send the sample to a laboratory for analysis. Gonorrhea that is present in the cervix or urethra can be diagnosed in a laboratory by testing a urine sample. | Several laboratory tests are available to diagnose gonorrhea. A doctor or nurse can obtain a sample for testing from the parts of the body likely to be infected (cervix, urethra, rectum, or throat) and send the sample to a laboratory for analysis. Gonorrhea that is present in the cervix or urethra can be diagnosed in a laboratory by testing a urine sample. | ||
Revision as of 16:31, 21 August 2012
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Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]
Overview
Gonorrhea (gonorrhoea in British English) is amongst the most common sexually transmitted diseases in the world and is caused by Gram-negative bacterium Neisseria gonorrheae. The term comes from Ancient Greek γονόρροια (gonórrhoia), literally "flow of seed"; in ancient times it was incorrectly believed that the pus discharge associated with the disease contained semen.[1]
Laboratory tests
Several laboratory tests are available to diagnose gonorrhea. A doctor or nurse can obtain a sample for testing from the parts of the body likely to be infected (cervix, urethra, rectum, or throat) and send the sample to a laboratory for analysis. Gonorrhea that is present in the cervix or urethra can be diagnosed in a laboratory by testing a urine sample.
Gonorrhea can be quickly identified by staining a sample of tissue or discharge and then looking at it under a microscope. This is called a gram stain. Although this method is fast, it is not the most certain. Gram stain tests used to diagnose gonorrhea include:
- Cervical gram stain in women
- Gram stain of urethral discharge in men
- Joint fluid gram stain
Cultures (cells that grow in a lab dish) provide absolute proof of infection. Generally, samples for a culture are taken from the cervix, vagina, urethra, anus, or throat. Cultures can provide a preliminary diagnosis often within 24 hours and a confirmed diagnosis within 72 hours. Cultures used to diagnose gonorrhea include:
- Endocervical culture in women
- Urethral discharge culture in men
- Throat swab culture in both men and women
- Rectal culture in both men and women
- Culture of joint fluid
- Blood cultures
DNA tests are especially useful as a screening test. They included the ligase chain reaction (LCR) test. DNA tests are quicker than cultures. Such tests can be performed on urine samples, which are a lot easier to collect than samples from the genital area.