Table 2.

Preferred diagnostic methods for detection of STIs.

	US guidelines46	European guidelines
Chlamydia trachomatis	• Females: NAAT by vaginal/cervical swab or first-catch urine • Males: NAAT by first-catch urine	• Females: NAAT by vulvovaginal swab46 • Males: NAAT by first-catch urine
Neisseria gonorrhoeae	• Females: NAAT by vaginal/cervical swab or first-catch urine • Males: NAAT by first-catch urine	• NAAT, culture or visualization on microscopy49 • NAATs are preferred in asymptomatic women
HSV	• DNA PCR or culture • Type specific serologic testing in certain circumstances	• PCR50
Trichomonas vaginalis	• NAAT	• NAAT51
BV	• Gram stain using Nugent criteria (preferred) or Amsel criteria	• Gram stain using Hay-Ison criteria51

BV, bacterial vaginosis; HSV, herpes simplex virus; NAAT, nucleic acid amplification test; PCR, polymerase chain reaction; STI, sexually transmitted infection; US, United States