BACKGROUND Collection technique is critical in the performance of the Papanicolaou (Pap) smear as an important screening tool for cervical cancer. While superior devices have been established, less effective devices continue to be used for both conventional and liquid-based Pap smears. Our aim is to determine the performance of collection devices currently used in obtaining conventional Pap sme...

To evaluate methods for detection of genital human papillomavirus (HPV) DNA in men, samples were obtained from 3 consecutive groups of 10 men attending a sexually transmitted disease clinic by use of (1) a saline-wetted Dacron swab alone, (2) a saline-wetted cytobrush, or (3) emery paper (600A-grit Wetordry Tri-M-ite; 3M) abrasion followed by a saline-wetted Dacron swab. By use of a polymerase ...

Endometritis is a common puerperal disease in livestock. Thus, a practical clinical test for the establishment of diagnosis is needed. We developed a goat model for subclinical endometritis diagnosis by examining cytological, ultrastructural features and molecular expression in cervical discharge collected by cervical cytobrush method. A suspension of E. coli was infused into the uterine horn o...

The aim of this study was to assess three different cytological endometrial sampling methods used to estimate polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMN) under high power field (HPF) microscopy and to determine subclinical endometritis in postpartum beef cows. Forty beef cows aged 3-7 years were sampled at week three and four after calving by endometrial cytology methods. The endometrial cytology sample...

A cytobrush was compared with a cotton-tipped aluminium shafted swab for the collection of 2024 paired endocervical specimens for the culture of Chlamydia trachomatis. There was no significant advantage with the use of either device with respect to the number of positive specimens detected or the number of inclusions present in positive specimens. However, the use of cytobrushes resulted in an ...

Buccal cells provide a convenient source of DNA for epidemiologic studies. Mouthwash rinses yield a higher quality and quantity of DNA than cytobrushes but are not practical for collection from infants. Although cytobrushes yield sufficient DNA for most genotyping analyses, human leukocyte antigen (HLA) analysis can require 1,000-fold more DNA. In Iowa City, Iowa, in 2002, the authors tested tw...