STI (sexually transmitted pathogens)

Clinical information

Sexually transmitted infections (STI), particularly with Chlamydia trachomatis, Neisseria gonorrhoeae, Mycoplasma, Ureaplasma and Trichomonas, often lead to inflammations of the urogenital tract. Untreated, they may ascend and eventually lead to infertility. Some pathogens, such as Treponema pallidum, can spread in the whole body and lead to generalised infection and even death. In a part of infections with sexually transmitted pathogens, symptoms only occur in advanced stages of the infection, so that they often remain undetected for a long time. In addition to the direct consequences for the patient, infections with most sexually transmitted pathogens during pregnancy can lead to intrauterine death, premature birth or damage to the foetus. Moreover, many pathogens can be transmitted to the newborn during birth, causing severe postnatal infections.

Diagnostics

The EUROArray STI - 11 provides PCR-based direct detection of 11 sexually transmitted pathogens in just one reaction: Chlamydia trachomatis (CT), Neisseria gonorrhoeae (NG), herpes simplex virus 1 and 2 (HSV-1 and -2), Haemophilus ducreyi (HD), Mycoplasma genitalium (MG), Mycoplasma hominis (MH), Treponema pallidum (TP), Trichomonas vaginalis (TV), Ureaplasma parvum (UP), Ureaplasma urealyticum (UU).

Additional EUROArray STI test systems with a reduced pathogen range are also available so that the sexually transmitted pathogens can be determined according to the requirements of the physician:

• EUROArray STI - 7 (HD / MG / MH / TP / TV / UP / UU)
• EUROArray STI - CT/NG

Detection using the EUROArray STI test systems is highly specific and sensitive and offers an enormous time advantage over detection by culturing. Timely detection of these pathogens and subsequent targeted treatment can prevent consequential damage of sexually transmitted diseases (STD). The combined detection of these pathogens with the EUROArray STI - 11 is especially useful for clarifying ambiguous clinical findings, identifying asymptomatic infections in pregnancy care, and identifying multiple infections with different sexually transmitted pathogens.

In comparison to other molecular biological procedures for the detection of sexually transmitted pathogens, the EUROArray STI tests are extremely easy to perform. No further molecular biological knowledge is required. In addition, the EUROArray STI tests can be performed in parallel with the EUROArray HPV.

Alongside the assays for molecular diagnostics, EUROIMMUN also offers a large range of products for the detection of antibodies against infectious agents.