False Positives In The Diagnosis Of Sexually Transmitted Chlamydia Trachomatis Infection In Children
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$724,313.00
Summary
Chlamydia trachomatis causes sexually transmitted infections, and also the eye disease trachoma. The detection of Chlamydia in urine sample from a child can be seen as evidence for sexual abuse. We will assess the potential impacts of three mechanisms that could conceivably lead to urogenital Chlamydia diagnosis in a child in the absence of sexual abuse: contamination of the urogenital site with ocula Chlamydia, contamination of urine samples after collection, and diagnostic test malfunction.
Systematic Investigation Of Conceivable Mechanisms That Could Lead To False Positive Diagnoses Of Sexually Transmitted Infections In Young Children.
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$1,008,839.00
Summary
Diagnosis of a sexually transmitted infection (STI) in a young child has serious social and legal consequences, because it is usually regarded as indicative of sexual abuse. It is therefore critical to understand the probability of such a diagnosis in the absence of sexual abuse. We will investigate false positives that arise by contamination of the urogenital site by STI agents that also infect the eye, and the transfer of contaminants from fingers to diagnostic specimens.