Neisseria gonorrhoeae NAA (N. gonorrhoeae Nucleic Acid Amplification and Detection)

Urine samples are stable at room temperature for up to 24 hours, including transportation time. Urine specimens must be first-stream, with no urination within the last hour. Patient collection volumes for urine must be no less than 10mL, and no more than 30mL AT COLLECTION. Higher collection volumes of urine will result in decreased sensitivity, and will not be accepted. Specimens must not be poured-off to obtain a 30mL volume.

Swabs should be held and transported at room temperature.

A negative urine result for a female patient who is clinically suspected of having a gonococcal infection does not rule-out the presence of Neisseria gonorrhoeae in the urogenital tract. Further, a negative urine result for N. gonorrhoeae from a female has a lower negative predictive value than does an endocervical swab result. Testing of endocervical specimens is recommended for female patients who are clinically suspected of have a gonococcal infection.

Note: Nucleic Acid Amplification and Detection methods are NOT appropriate for test of cure, as nucleic acid may persist in the absence of viable organisms. This method is not validated for non-urogenital sites. See Culture for Neisseria gonorrhoeae

Specimens for N. gonorrhoeae NAA may simultaneously be submitted for Chlamydia trachomatis NAA.

IMPORTANT: Refer to swab specimen collection guides for correct collection and transport. Use ONLY the Gen-Probe APTIMA collection kit for swab samples. ONLY THE BLUE swab is to be submitted to the laboratory – specimens submitted on the WHITE swab, or containing both WHITE and BLUE swabs will be rejected. NOTE: The Gen-Probe swabs are NOT acceptable for culture of any type.

Test sensitivity and specificity data are availble here.  N. gonnorrhoeae Sensitivity and Specificity