Antigen-Based Testing but Not Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction Correlates With Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 Viral Culture.

BACKGROUND: Individuals can test positive for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) by molecular assays following the resolution of their clinical disease. Recent studies indicate that SARS-CoV-2 antigen-based tests are likely to be positive early in the disease course, when there is an increased likelihood of high levels of infectious virus. METHODS: Upper respiratory specimens from 251 participants with coronavirus disease 2019 symptoms (≤7 days from symptom onset) were prospectively collected and tested with a lateral flow antigen test and a real-time polymerase chain reaction (rt-PCR) assay for detection of SARS-CoV-2. Specimens from a subset of the study specimens were utilized to determine the presence of infectious virus in the VeroE6TMPRSS2 cell culture model. RESULTS: The antigen test demonstrated a higher positive predictive value (90%) than rt-PCR (70%) when compared to culture-positive results. The positive percentage agreement for detection of infectious virus for the antigen test was similar to rt-PCR when compared to culture results. CONCLUSIONS: The correlation between SARS-CoV-2 antigen and SARS-CoV-2 culture positivity represents a significant advancement in determining the risk for potential transmissibility beyond that which can be achieved by detection of SARS-CoV-2 genomic RNA. SARS-CoV-2 antigen testing can facilitate low-cost, scalable, and rapid time-to-result, while providing good risk determination of those who are likely harboring infectious virus, compared to rt-PCR.

Clinical Performance of the BD CTGCTV2 Assay for the BD MAX System for Detection of Chlamydia trachomatis, Neisseria gonorrhoeae, and Trichomonas vaginalis Infections.

BACKGROUND: Diagnostic options to combat the increasing rates of sexually transmitted infections recorded throughout the world increasingly include multiplex assays. Here we describe the estimated sensitivity and specificity of a triplex molecular assay that simultaneously detects Chlamydia trachomatis (CT), Neisseria gonorrhoeae (or gonococci [GC]), and Trichomonas vaginalis (TV). METHODS: Participants (2547 women and 1159 men) were recruited from 12 clinics in the United States. BD CTGCTV2 for BD MAX System assay (CTGCTV2) results were obtained from vaginal and endocervical swabs, endocervical samples in cytology medium, and female and male urine. Results were compared with infection standards that were sample type and pathogen dependent. RESULTS: Female specimen sensitivity estimates ranged from 92.7% to 98.4%, 92.9% to 100%, and 86.6% to 100% for CT, GC and TV, respectively. Male urine sensitivity estimates were 96.7%, 99.2%, and 97.9% for CT, GC, and TV, respectively. Specificity estimates were >98.7% for all sample types. CONCLUSIONS: BD CTGCTV2 performed well using a variety of sample types. As a true triplex assay, performed using a benchtop instrument, BD CTGCTV2 may be useful in settings where no testing is currently performed and in settings, such as reference laboratories, where testing turnaround time may be several days. Use of this assay at local laboratories may result in greater access to testing and a shorter time to result, which are important steps for improving our ability to combat sexually transmitted infections.

Molecular-based Testing for Sexually Transmitted Infections Using Samples Previously Collected for Vaginitis Diagnosis.

Background: Vaginal symptoms are a leading cause of primary care visits for women. Individuals exhibiting symptoms often receive laboratory testing based on clinic-specific standards of care. Thus, women seen at a family practice clinic might only receive a vaginitis workup, whereas those seen at a sexually transmitted diseases clinic could be more likely to receive only sexually transmitted infection (STI) testing. Methods: The likelihood of STIs was assessed in women from whom samples were tested for vaginitis using a molecular diagnostic assay. Positivity rates for Chlamydia trachomatis, Neisseria gonorrhoeae, and Trichomonas vaginalis DNA, detected using the BD MAX CT/GC/TV assay, were calculated. Concordance between the BD MAX Vaginal Panel and the BD MAX CT/GC/TV assay for detection of T. vaginalis was determined. Results: Women with bacterial vaginosis alone or with concurrent Candida spp infections had high rates of coinfection with sexually transmitted infections (24.4%-25.7%); samples from women who were negative for vaginitis had significantly lower positivity rates (7.9%; P < .001). Trichomonas vaginalis results were concordant between the BD MAX Vaginal Panel and the BD MAX CT/GC/TV assay in 559 of 560 samples tested. Conclusions: These data suggest, as have other studies, that women with vaginitis symptoms may be at risk for an STI. Molecular testing could provide broad diagnostic coverage for symptomatic women and improve patient management, regardless of the type of clinic in which patients are treated.

Bayesian analysis of baseline risk of CIN2 and ≥CIN3 by HPV genotype in a European referral cohort.

Whereas HPV16 and HPV18 have been the focus in current risk-based cervical cancer screening algorithms using HPV genotype information, mounting evidence suggests that oncogenic HPV types such as HPV31, 33, 52 and 58 pose a ≥CIN3 risk equivalent to or greater than that of HPV18, and the combined risk of HPV31 and HPV33 rivals even HPV16 in women above 30 years of age. Here, we evaluate the baseline risk of CIN2 and CIN3 by genotype in a colposcopy referral population from Denmark and Italy. In total, 655 women were enrolled upon a referral to colposcopy after a positive screening sample. All samples were HPV analyzed using Onclarity HPV assay with extended genotyping and combined with the histology outcomes, a Bayesian probability modeling was used to determine the risk per genotype assessed. The combined data for this referral population showed that the ≥CIN2 risk of HPV16 was 69.1%, HPV31 at 63.3%, HPV33/58 at 52.7%, HPV18 at 46.6% and HPV52 at 40.8%. For ≥CIN3, the risks were 44.3%, 38.5%, 36.8%, 30.9% and 16.8% for HPV16, HPV31, HPV18, HPV33/58 and HPV52, respectively, indicating that the baseline risk of disease arising from HPV16 is, not surprisingly, the highest among the oncogenic HPV genotypes. We find that the HPV genotype-specific ≥CIN2 and ≥CIN3 risk-patterns are so distinct that, for example, 35/39/68 and 56/59/66 should be considered only for low intensive follow-up, thereby proposing active use of this information in triage strategies for screening HPV-positive women.

HPV infections and cytologic abnormalities in vaccinated women 21-34 years of age: Results from the baseline phase of the Onclarity trial.

OBJECTIVES: Countries with school-based human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination have seen significant reductions in vaccine-targeted HPV infections, cytologic abnormalities, and high-grade cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (≥CIN2). However, the impact of HPV vaccination in the United States (where vaccination is largely opportunistic) may be less due to lower coverage rates and vaccination in patients at ages beyond the recommended routine vaccination age. METHODS: The Onclarity trial enrolled 33,858 subjects ≥21 years who were screened with cytology and the BD Onclarity HPV Assay. HPV positive women or those with cytologic abnormalities underwent colposcopy and biopsy. The prevalence of HPV, cytologic abnormalities, and ≥CIN2 was compared in a subset of 14,153, vaccinated and unvaccinated women, 21-34 years. Results were compared by vaccination status; Mantel-Haenszel analysis was performed to determine the association between vaccination status and prevalence, adjusting for age. RESULTS: The prevalence of overall HPV, HPV16, 18, 31, and 33/58 were all lower in vaccinated women for each age group; a significant difference (p < 0.001) was observed in vaccinated women for all ages combined. Cytologic low-grade squamous intraepithelial lesion (LSIL) or worse was lower in vaccinated women (p = 0.021), as was ≥CIN2 prevalence associated with HPV 16 or 18 (p = 0.011). CONCLUSIONS: Women with a prior history of HPV vaccination have a lower prevalence of any high-risk HPV, HPV 16, 18, 31, and 33/58; a cytology result of ≥LSIL, and ≥CIN2 associated with HPV 16/18 compared to unvaccinated women. A lower HPV prevalence in older, vaccinated women suggests that "catch-up" vaccination provides benefit.

Diagnostic Performance of a Molecular Test versus Clinician Assessment of Vaginitis.

Vaginitis is a common complaint, diagnosed either empirically or using Amsel's criteria and wet mount microscopy. This study sought to determine characteristics of an investigational test (a molecular test for vaginitis), compared to reference, for detection of bacterial vaginosis, Candida spp., and Trichomonas vaginalis Vaginal specimens from a cross-sectional study were obtained from 1,740 women (≥18 years old), with vaginitis symptoms, during routine clinic visits (across 10 sites in the United States). Specimens were analyzed using a commercial PCR/fluorogenic probe-based investigational test that detects bacterial vaginosis, Candida spp., and Trichomonas vaginalis Clinician diagnosis and in-clinic testing (Amsel's test, potassium hydroxide preparation, and wet mount) were also employed to detect the three vaginitis causes. All testing methods were compared to the respective reference methods (Nugent Gram stain for bacterial vaginosis, detection of the Candida gene its2, and Trichomonas vaginalis culture). The investigational test, clinician diagnosis, and in-clinic testing were compared to reference methods for bacterial vaginosis, Candida spp., and Trichomonas vaginalis The investigational test resulted in significantly higher sensitivity and negative predictive value than clinician diagnosis or in-clinic testing. In addition, the investigational test showed a statistically higher overall percent agreement with each of the three reference methods than did clinician diagnosis or in-clinic testing. The investigational test showed significantly higher sensitivity for detecting vaginitis, involving more than one cause, than did clinician diagnosis. Taken together, these results suggest that a molecular investigational test can facilitate accurate detection of vaginitis.

The Onclarity Human Papillomavirus Trial: Design, methods, and baseline results.

OBJECTIVES: The baseline phase of the Onclarity trial was conducted to determine the screening performance of the Onclarity human papillomavirus (HPV) assay for detecting cervical cancer and precancer (≥CIN2) during triage of women ≥21 years with ASC-US cytology, as an adjunct test in women ≥30 years with normal cytology and for primary screening (HPV alone) in women ≥25 years. METHODS: 33,858 women ≥21 years were enrolled during routine clinic visits. All women with abnormal cytology, women ≥25 years that were high-risk HPV positive, and a random subset of women ≥25 years, negative by cytology and for HPV, were referred for colposcopy and cervical biopsy. Verification bias adjustment with 95% confidence intervals was applied. RESULTS: ASC-US prevalence was 5.8%. The overall HPV prevalence was 14.7%; for HPV 16, 18, and the 12 other HPV types it was 2.7%, 0.8%, and 11.2%, respectively. The prevalence of ASC-US and HPV was inversely proportional with age. The verification bias adjusted prevalence of ≥CIN2 and ≥CIN3 was 1.8% and 0.8%, respectively. Overall, five cases of cervical cancer were identified (all were HPV positive). The odds ratios associated with any HPV positive genotype, or with individual genotypes HPV 16, HPV 18, and HPV 31, for ≥CIN3, were statistically significant when compared to negative histology (p < 0.0001 for all). CONCLUSIONS: This report provides demographic information, cytology findings, HPV genotype information, and histopathology for participants in the baseline phase of this trial and offers further evidence to support genotype-specific screening for cervical cancer and precancer. Clinical Trial Registry URL:https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT01944722.

Detection of Cervical Neoplasia by Human Papillomavirus Testing in an Atypical Squamous Cells-Undetermined Significance Population: Results of the Becton Dickinson Onclarity Trial.

Objectives: To determine clinical utility of Onclarity human papillomavirus (HPV) assay for atypical squamous cells-undetermined significance (ASC-US) triage, and the value of HPV genotyping within ASC-US. Methods: Women (n = 33,858; 21 years or older) had HPV testing using Onclarity and Hybrid Capture 2 (HC2). ASC-US individuals (n = 1,960, 5.8%) were referred to colposcopy. Results: Of ASC-US, 39.1% were HPV positive by Onclarity; HPV 16 was the most prevalent genotype (7.4%). Cervical intraepithelial neoplasia grade 2 (CIN 2) and CIN 3+ prevalences were 4.4% and 2.2%, respectively. Onclarity had sensitivity for CIN 2+ (85.7%) and CIN 3+ (91.4%), and specificities for CIN 2+ (64.1%) and CIN 3+ (62.0%), similar to HC2. Risks for CIN 3+ were 16.1%, 2.8%, 2.5%, and 2.7% with HPV 16, 18, 45, and 11 other genotypes, respectively. Conclusions: Onclarity is clinically validated for ASC-US triage. Through risk stratification, genotyping could help identify women at highest risk for CIN 3+.

HPV Testing With 16, 18, and 45 Genotyping Stratifies Cancer Risk for Women With Normal Cytology.

OBJECTIVES: To determine the BD Onclarity human papillomavirus (HPV) assay performance and risk values for cervical intraepithelial neoplasia grade 2 (CIN2) or higher and cervical intraepithelial neoplasia grade 3 (CIN3) or higher during Papanicolaou/HPV cotesting in a negative for intraepithelial lesions or malignancies (NILM) population. METHODS: In total, 22,383 of the 33,858 enrolled women were 30 years or older with NILM cytology. HPV+ and a subset of HPV- patients (3,219/33,858 combined; 9.5%) were referred to colposcopy/biopsy. RESULTS: Overall, 7.9% of women were Onclarity positive; HPV 16 had the highest prevalence (1.5%). Verification bias-adjusted (VBA) CIN2 or higher and CIN3 or higher prevalences were 0.9% and 0.3%, respectively. Onclarity had VBA CIN2 or higher (44.1%) and CIN3 or higher (69.5%) sensitivities, as well as CIN2 or higher (92.4%) and CIN3 or higher (92.3%) specificities-all similar to Hybrid Capture 2. HPV 16, 18, 45, and the other 11 genotypes had CIN3 or higher risks of 6.9%, 2.6%, 1.1%, and 2.2%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Onclarity is clinically validated for cotesting in NILM women. Genotyping actionably stratifies women at greater CIN3 or higher risk.