Comparison of direct immunofluorescent staining and an enzyme-linked immunoabsorbent assay for identifying Chlamydia trachomatis in cervical and urethral specimens.

A direct fluorescent antibody (DFA) stain (MicroTrak, Syva) and an enzyme-linked immunoabsorbent assay (Chlamydiazyme, Abbott) were used to detect chlamydial infection in 179 cervical specimens and 56 specimens obtained from the female urethra. Chlamydiazyme, when compared with the DFA technique, revealed a high degree of correlation in these specimens (22 and 21 positive cervical specimens, respectively, and 7 each positive urethral specimens). Since both techniques are readily available, inexpensive and easy to perform, they should become valuable tools in the objective assessment of women at risk of this common and important sexually transmitted disease.