Clinical Updates
Updates to Genital & Sexual Health Specimen Collection
Follow these guidelines for specimen submission in accordance with changes outlined in the May 2023 Technical Update.
Effective July 17, 2023, the laboratory will reject incorrectly submitted specimens.
Sample Type
Gonorrhea & Chlamydia (GCCT)
Mycoplasma genitalium (MYGAMP)
Trichomonas vaginalis (TRVAMP)
Candida & Trichomonas (CVTV)
Bacterial Vaginosis (BVAMP)
Clinician-Collected Vaginal Swab
✓ ✓ ✓
✓ ✓ ✓
✓ ✓ ✓
✓ ✓ ✓
✓ ✓ ✓
Patient-Collected Vaginal Swab
✓ ✓ ✓
✓ ✓ ✓
✓ ✓ ✓
✓ ✓ ✓
Patient-Collected Penile Meatal Swab
✓ ✓
Clinician-Collected Throat Swab
✓ ✓ ✓
Clinician-Collected Rectal Swab
✓ ✓ ✓
✓ ✓ ✓
FDA-approved and preferred
✓ ✓
FDA-approved and acceptable
✓
FDA-approved but not recommended due to inferior
performance
*
Lab-Developed Test (not FDA-approved)
Sample Type
Gonorrhea & Chlamydia (GCCT)
Mycoplasma genitalium (MYGAMP)
Trichomonas vaginalis (TRVAMP)
Candida & Trichomonas (CVTV)
Bacterial Vaginosis (BVAMP)
Clinician-Collected Endocervical Swab
✓ ✓
✓
✓ ✓
Clinician-Collected Male Urethral Swab
✓ ✓
✓ ✓
*
✓ ✓ ✓
FDA-approved and preferred
✓ ✓
FDA-approved and acceptable
✓
FDA-approved but not recommended due to inferior
performance
*
Lab-Developed Test (not FDA-approved)
Sample Type
Gonorrhea & Chlamydia (GCCT)
Mycoplasma genitalium (MYGAMP)
Trichomonas vaginalis (TRVAMP)
Candida & Trichomonas (CVTV)
Bacterial Vaginosis (BVAMP)
Female Urine
✓
✓
*
Male Urine
✓ ✓ ✓
✓ ✓ ✓
*
✓ ✓ ✓
FDA-approved and preferred
✓ ✓
FDA-approved and acceptable
✓
FDA-approved but not recommended due to inferior
performance
*
Lab-Developed Test (not FDA-approved)
Aptima® Specimen Transfer Kit
Note: This can only be ordered as an add-on test by contacting Client Services.
This kit is used for the following tests:
Sample Type
Gonorrhea & Chlamydia (GCCT)
Mycoplasma genitalium (MYGAMP)
Trichomonas vaginalis (TRVAMP)
Candida & Trichomonas (CVTV)
Bacterial Vaginosis (BVAMP)
ThinPrep® PreservCyt®
✓
✓
✓ ✓ ✓
FDA-approved and preferred
✓ ✓
FDA-approved and acceptable
✓
FDA-approved but not recommended due to inferior
performance
*
Lab-Developed Test (not FDA-approved)