Background: Sexually transmitted infections (STI) encompass a variety of clinical syndromes caused by many pathogens that are transmitted through sexual activity. Multiplex PCR is frequently used to detect STI. In this study, two multiplex real-time PCR-based assays were used to detect STI in clinical specimens, and the concordance of the results obtained by each method was evaluated.
Methods: A total of 626 specimens were tested using the Anyplex II STI-7 (Seegene, Korea) and Seeplex STD6 ACE Detection kits (Seegene).
Results: Among the 626 individuals tested, 227 (44.2%) tested positive for STI by using Anyplex II STI-7. The prevalence rates of the various infectious microorganisms detected were as follows: Chlamydia trachomatis (C. trachomatis), 19.2% (120/626); Neisseria gonorrhoeae (N. gonorrhoeae), 5.6% (35/626); Trichomonas vaginalis (T. vaginalis), 0.2% (1/626); Mycoplasma genitalium (M. genitalium), 8.1% (51/626); Mycoplasma hominis (M. hominis), 2.9% (18/626); Ureaplasma urealyticum (U. urealyticum), 17.6% (110/626); and Ureaplasma parvum, 3.7% (23/626). The concordance rates for the STI-7 and STD6 assays in detecting the various types of microorganism were as follows: C. trachomatis, (99.5%); N. gonorrhoeae, (99.7%); T. vaginalis, (100%); M. genitalium, (100%); M. hominis, (100%); and U. urealyticum (99.2%).
Conclusions: A high degree of concordance was observed between the results obtained using the Anyplex II STI-7 kits and those obtained using the Seeplex STD6 ACE Detection kits. (J Lab Med Qual Assur 2013;35:87-92)

Keywords: Sexually transmitted diseases, Multiplex polymerase chain reaction, Sexually transmitted infections-7