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Kim Smith, MT(ASCP); Kathy Harrington, MAEd, MPH; Gina Wingood, ScD, MPH; M. Kim Oh, MD; Edward W. Hook III, MD; Ralph J. DiClemente, PhD

Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med. 2001;155:676-679.

Objective  To ascertain the acceptability of testing and prevalence of 3 readily treatable sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) (infections with Neisseria gonorrhoeae, Chlamydia trachomatis, and Trichomonas vaginalis) with the use of patient-obtained vaginal swabs.

Study Design  Study participants at each initial session were asked to provide self-obtained vaginal swabs for ligase chain reaction testing to detect N gonorrhoeae and C trachomatis, and for culture of T vaginalis.

Setting  Behavioral intervention sessions with African American adolescent girls in a nonclinical program to reduce risk of STDs, human immunodeficiency virus infection, and pregnancy.

Results  All study participants were offered their choice of STD screening in the context of a traditional pelvic examination or using self-obtained vaginal swabs. All eligible participants chose self-administered vaginal swabs. Of the 512 participants examined at their initial study visit, 28.7% were found to be infected with 1 or more treatable STDs (5.3% with N gonorrhoeae, 17.8% with C trachomatis, and 12.9% with T vaginalis).

Conclusions  With the use of newer detection systems, STDs can be readily detected in nonclinical settings with the use of self-obtained vaginal swabs, providing new opportunities for efforts to control STDs.

From the Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine (Ms Smith and Dr Hook), and the Department of Pediatrics (Ms Harrington and Dr Oh), University of Alabama at Birmingham; Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, Ga (Drs Wingood and DiClemente); and Emory/Atlanta Center for AIDS Research (Drs Wingood and DiClemente).

Corresponding author and reprints: Kim Smith, MT(ASCP), Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, University of Alabama at Birmingham, 229 Tinsley Harrison Tower, 1900 University Blvd, Birmingham, AL 35294-0006 (e-mail: krs{at}uab.edu).

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