Chlamydia pneumoniae – Respiratory PCR
Consistent with O. Reg. 671/92 of the French Language Services Act, laboratory testing information on this page is only available in English because it is scientific or technical in nature and is for use only by qualified health care providers and not by members of the public.
Background
This page provides testing information for Chlamydia pneumoniae from respiratory specimens using the Chlamydia pneumoniae - Respiratory PCR assay at Public Health Ontario (PHO).
Chlamydia pneumoniae is a causative agent of community-acquired pneumonia.
The following testing options are available for Chlamydia pneumoniae: PCR.
This page provides information specific to PCR Testing
Updates
Cerebrospinal Fluid (CSF) is added under specimen type. Prior to submission of CSF to PHO, contact PHO’s Laboratory Customer Service Centre for a Microbiologist’s approval to avoid rejection or delay in testing.
Testing Indications
Chlamydia pneumoniae testing is indicated when there is a clinical suspicion of Chlamydia pneumoniae infection, particularly in cases of atypical pneumonia, bronchitis, or sinusitis, and when other respiratory pathogens have been ruled out.
Acceptance/Rejection Criteria
Acceptable:
- Use the recommended specimen collection kit (below)
- Neat specimens acceptable (>=0.5ml)
- Swab specimens must be collected with nylon flocculated swabs or on swabs with Dacron tips and aluminum or plastic shafts.
Unacceptable:
- Swabs with calcium alginate or cotton tips and wooden sticks are not acceptable, as they have been shown to inhibit PCR.
- Chemically fixed or preserved specimens are not acceptable for PCR testing and will be rejected upon receipt at PHO-Laboratory
- Cobas PCR media is unacceptable as a transport media for Chlamydia pneumoniae. Specimens sent in this media will be rejected.
For outbreaks contact Medical/Clinical Microbiologist at PHOL (Customer Service Center 1-877 604 4567).
Specimen Requirements
| Test Requested | Required Requisition(s) | Specimen Type | Minimum Volume | Collection Kit |
Chlamydia pneumoniae |
Bronchoalveolar lavage Cerebrospinal Fluid (see note 3) |
|
Mycoplasma pneumoniae / Chlamydia pneumoniae PCR Kit; Kit Order# 390085 |
Submission and Collection Notes
Complete all fields of the requisition form, including:
- Test(s) requests and indications for testing
- Patient setting/population/source
- Symptoms
- Onset date
For clinical specimens, label the specimen container(s) with the patient’s first and last name, date of collection, and one other unique identifier such as the patient’s date of birth or Health Card Number. For additional information see: Criteria for Acceptance of Patient Specimens. Failure to provide this information may result in rejection or testing delay.
Before submitting CSF specimen to PHO, contact PHO’s Laboratory Customer Service Centre first for Microbiologist’s approval. Note that CSF is not a validated specimen type.
Timing of Specimen Collection
Specimens should be collected as soon as possible during the acute phase of the illness.
Storage and Transport
Specimens placed inside and biohazard bag and sealed should be stored at 2-8°C following collection and shipped to Public Health Ontario on ice packs. All clinical specimens must be shipped in accordance to the Transportation of Dangerous Good Act.
Test Frequency and Turnaround Time (TAT)
Chlamydia pneumoniae PCR testing is performed at PHO, Toronto and Kingston locations.
TAT is up to 5 business days from receipt at PHO’s Laboratory.
STAT and Critical Specimens Testing
Contact PHO’s Laboratory Customer Service Centre when submitting critical specimen so it will be prioritized and included in the next available testing run.
The method is a laboratory-developed multiplex real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR)which detects the Outer Membrane Protein (OmpA) gene (Gullsby et. al) in Chlamydia pneumoniae.
Only respiratory tract specimens such as bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL), nasopharyngeal swab (NPS), throat swab, and tracheal aspirates were validated for use with this assay at PHO. Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) is not a validated specimen type but can be tested when approved by a PHO microbiologist.
Interpretation
The following table provides possible test results with associated interpretations:
| Result | Interpretation | Comments |
|---|---|---|
| Not Detected | Chlamydia pneumoniae Not Detected | Note: This specimen was tested using a laboratory test developed by Public Health Ontario Laboratory for the purpose of clinical testing. Results should be interpreted in the context of the clinical situation. |
| Detected | Chlamydia pneumoniae Detected | Note: This specimen was tested using a laboratory test developed by Public Health Ontario Laboratory for the purpose of clinical testing. Results should be interpreted in the context of the clinical situation. |
| Invalid | Chlamydia pneumoniae Invalid | Note: Nucleic Acid extraction and/or amplification could not be successfully completed. This may be caused by inhibitory substances or improper sample collection. Please resubmit if clinically relevant. This specimen was tested using a laboratory test developed by Public Health Ontario Laboratory for the purpose of clinical testing. Results should be interpreted in the context of the clinical situation. |
| Indeterminate | Chlamydia pneumoniae Indeterminate | Note: An indeterminate PCR test result may be due to a low level of target genetic material in the specimen content or a non-specific signal. Please resubmit another specimen for testing if clinically indicated. This specimen was tested using a laboratory test developed by Public Health Ontario Laboratory for the purpose of clinical testing. Results should be interpreted in the context of the clinical situation. |
| Inconclusive | Chlamydia pneumoniae Inconclusive | Note: PCR results are inconclusive. Consider collecting another specimen for repeat PCR testing. This specimen was tested using a laboratory test developed by Public Health Ontario Laboratory for the purpose of clinical testing. Results should be interpreted in the context of the clinical situation. |
MyPHO
Don’t have a MyPHO account? Register Now