Specimen Collection Manual and Test Catalog

1 mL aliquot serum; minimum 0.1 mL.

Allow to clot. Centrifuge 10 minutes at 3000 rpm.

Refrigerated (preferred). Room temperature or frozen specimen also acceptable.

Room Temperature: 7 days. Refrigerated: 14 days. Frozen: 30 days.

Stability limits exceeded.

IgM titers of 1:10 or greater are indicative of recent infection. However, anti-chlamydial IgM is very cross-reactive and may demonstrate titers to more than one species.

Chlamydia trachomatis antibody, IgM.

CHTIGM, Quest test code 5157

Chlamydia trachomatis is associated with infections of the mucous membranes of the urogenital system, the upper respiratory tract, and the eye. The usefulness of serological tests depends on the site of infection, duration of disease, infecting serovars and previous exposure to chlamydial antigens. Because C. trachomatis is ubiquitous, there is a high prevalence of antibodies in sexually active populations. Individuals may be reinfected and IgM antibodies may not appear. IgG antibodies may persist even after treatment, making assessment of a single IgG titer difficult. Consequently, serological diagnosis is seldom used to diagnose genital tract infections. Instead, Nucleic Acid Amplification Testing (NAAT) or culture should be considered to detect chlamydia trachomatis. Culture can also be used to diagnose infant respiratory infection or conjunctivitis.