ABSTRACT
Nucleic acid amplification (NAA) technologies have exerted a major impact on the field of sexually transmitted diseases (STDs). Better etiologic diagnoses, changed perceptions regarding the accuracy of clinical diagnoses, greater understanding of the epidemiology of STDs, and innovative public health and STD control programs have resulted from the use of nucleic acid amplification tests. Mycoplasma genitalium is an organism that provides an excellent example of the value of NAA technology to research and perhaps to important public health considerations. Mycoplasma genitalium was first isolated from the urethras of 2 of 13 men with urethritis. Trichomonas vaginalis is considered the world’s most common curable STD. It is an important cause of adverse pregnancy outcomes and has been associated with increased human immunodeficiency virus transmission. Herpes simplex is a major cause of genital ulcer disease throughout the world. Herpes simplex virus type 2 is the predominant cause of genital herpes.
