Chlamydiae Species Culture
Also known as: Chlamydia
Use
Chlamydiae Species Culture is used to identify and isolate Chlamydia trachomatis—which infects mucous membranes of the urogenital tract, upper respiratory tract, and eye—and Chlamydia pneumoniae, which is associated with upper and lower respiratory infections. In adults, infections can include urethritis, cervicitis, salpingitis, epididymitis, proctitis, and lymphogranuloma venereum, while in neonates respiratory and eye infections may occur following exposure at birth. Quest Diagnostics no longer accepts respiratory or eye specimens as of July 13, 2020 due to biosafety concerns. This test may also support public health reporting requirements, as C. trachomatis is a notifiable condition in some jurisdictions; it utilizes centrifugation-enhanced culture with monoclonal antibody detection. Membrane culture increases sensitivity for diagnosing active Chlamydiae infections and assists in epidemiologic surveillance.
Special Instructions
Specimens must be collected from endocervical, endourethral, or rectal mucosa swabs in Viral Culture Media (VCM) or equivalent transport medium. Alternative specimen: vaginal swab for children under 13. Specimens must be frozen at −70 °C immediately after collection or refrigerated and shipped promptly—storage/transport at −20 °C or ambient temperature is unacceptable. Wooden-shaft or calcium alginate swabs, molecular transport media, respiratory or eye specimens are rejected. Samples from respiratory tract or eye are no longer accepted by Quest as of 07/13/20. Collection must be followed by freezing at −70 °C and shipped on dry ice.
Limitations
Specimens stored or transported at −20 °C or room temperature are unacceptable, reducing culture viability. Use of inappropriate swab types (e.g., wooden shafted or calcium alginate), or molecular/bacterial transport media, leads to rejection. Respiratory and ocular specimens are not accepted. Culture methods may have lower sensitivity compared to molecular assays (NAAT), and results may be slower. Not recommended as primary method for endocervical or urine specimens.
Methodology
Culture-based
Biomarkers
Result Turnaround Time
3-4 days
Related Documents
For more information, please review the documents below
Specimen
Other
Volume
Not provided
Minimum Volume
Not provided
Container
Viral Culture Media or equivalent transport medium
Collection Instructions
Swab endocervical, endourethral, or rectal mucosa (without feces). Alternative: vaginal swab for children under 13 years.
Storage Instructions
Freeze at –70 °C immediately; ship on dry ice. Refrigeration acceptable for ≤48 hours; −20 °C or ambient unacceptable.
Causes for Rejection
Specimen in molecular/bacterial transport media; wooden-shaft or calcium alginate swabs; respiratory or eye specimens; storage at −20 °C or ambient temperature.
Stability Requirements
| Temperature | Period |
|---|---|
| Room Temperature | Unacceptable |
| Refrigerated | 48 hours |
| Frozen | 30 days (−70 °C) |