Rapid tests for sexually transmitted diseases

Many molecular diagnostic tests for sexually transmitted diseases (STD_s) have been described recently but are not often accessible to clinicians in practice. There is a need for rapid, easy-to-perform, and accurate diagnostic tests for clinicians, especially for use in developing countries, where sophisticated laboratory support is often unavailable. Rapid tests, often termed “point-of-care” (POC) tests, can be performed in less than an hour in the doctor’s office, clinic, or in a field setting. If simple laboratory equipment is available, a health care worker or clinician can make an immediate diagnosis of a STD. Progress has been made in the development of POC tests for HIV, syphilis, trichomonas, and bacterial vaginosis, but more work is needed for chlamydia and gonorrhea. Improvements in POC_s will allow for faster treatment or provision of interventions in infected persons, in order to prevent transmission to partners or infants, thereby enabling effective control efforts for STDs.