Sexually transmitted diseases: testing gets boost from new high-speed instrument

Roche Diagnostics in the UK recently launched the CE IVD-approved cobas 4800, a new high-speed analyser designed to test for Chlamydia trachomatis/Neisseria gonorrhoeae (CT/NG) and also for the human papillomavirus (HPV). The instrument, which was unveiled to a group of hospital laboratory specialists at a preview event held at Roche Diagnostics’ headquarters in Burgess Hill, Sussex, offers an unprecedented level of user friendliness combined with high throughput and efficiency.

Current initiatives
Laboratories are facing increasing workloads in testing for sexually transmitted disease and therefore the ability to do high throughput testing for C. trachomatis, for example, which has become increasingly important, especially given the high demand fuelled by the government-sponsored Chlamydia screening programme. Also, given the strong evidence of the link between HPV infection and cervical cancer, the cobas 4800 is equally well placed to meet future potential screening initiatives including triage and test of cure. Moreover, the HPV test performed on the cobas 4800 has a high negative predictive value, providing more information for clinicians in the fight against cervical cancer.

Chlamydia screening
The results of the first year of screening has confirmed the feasibility of opportunistic screening outside the genitourinary medicine clinic setting and the significant disease burden in this population, with 10.1% positivity among women and 13.3% among men. These findings are consistent with the pilot studies according to the National Chlamydia Screening Programme Annual Report 2003/04.