Comparison of the cytology brush with the Dacron swab for detecting Chlamydia trachomatis by enzyme immunoassay in female university students.

Previous studies comparing the cytology brush (Cytobrush) with swabs for the detection of Chlamydia trachomatis from the uterine cervix have yielded divided results. The authors carried out a retrospective analysis at the University of South Florida Student Health Service to evaluate the effect of a change in specimen collection technique on C trachomatis prevalence estimates in female university students. Samples were collected from 1,003 women in 1989, using a small Dacron swab, and 1,229 women in 1990, using a brush; the samples were tested by means of the Pathfinder Enzyme Immunoassay (EIA) detection kit. Positive test results were 5.88% for 1989 and 11.66% for 1990. Actual C trachomatis prevalence for 1989 and 1990 was stable, as determined by three control groups. The results suggest that the cytology brush is more effective than the Dacron swab for the detection of C trachomatis in the uterine cervix when it is used with the Pathfinder EIA test kit.