○ Patient must meet the following criteria for testing: 1) Patient is symptomatic with persistent or recurrent urethritis, cervicitis or PID, and 2) Patient has negative test results for Chlamydia trachomatis and Neisseria gonorrhoeae ○ Urethral swabs (men) and vaginal or cervical swabs (women) are preferred over urine specimens for detection of genital mycoplasmas ○ Testing will also detect mutations associated with azithromycin resistance (23S ribosomal RNA) and moxifloxacin resistance (parC and gyrA).
○ Urogenital, vaginal, rectal swabs: single swab in universal transport medium ○ Body fluid aspirates/urine: sterile container (min volume 1 mL)
Genital swabs ○ Collect specimens from the male or female urethra or female cervix by inserting a urethral swab at least 1 cm into the orifice and rotating it 360 degrees. After collection of swab specimen, swirl swab in a vial containing transport medium, express excess fluid by pressing the swab against the inside of the vial, and then discard swab ○ Collect vaginal swab by swabbing back and forth over the vaginal mucosa to maximize recovery of cells.
Rectal swab: ○ Collect the specimen with a sterile swab inserted approximately one inch beyond the anal sphincter.
Urine ○ Clean urethral meatus. Collect 10 - 20 mL of first-voided urine into a clean, sterile container.
In and Out catheter / catheter insertion urine (women only): ○ Collect urine into a clean, sterile container immediately following the initial insertion of an indwelling catheter into the bladder.
Refer to section Sample Processing / Delivery
PHOL
○ 14 days
416-586-4800 extension 4577
YES
○ Label specimen container. Place specimens in biohazard bag and seal.
○ Specimens should be stored and transported to the UHN/SH Microbiology Laboratory at refrigeration temperature (2-8˚C) immediately after collection, EXCEPT BLOOD (20-25˚C).
○ The specimen will be referred to the Public Health Ontario Laboratory for testing. PHOL will refer the specimen to NML for PCR testing.