CTGC Nucleic Acid Amplification

Testing site      

Alaska State Public Health Laboratory – Anchorage 

Anchorage Lab Request Form 

Diseases 

• Chlamydia 
• Gonorrhea 
• STD 

Organisms 

• Chlamydia trachomatis (CT) 
• Neisseria gonorrhoeae (GC) 

Test Method 

Nucleic Acid Amplification (NAAT).  Transcription Mediated Amplification (TMA) for the detection of ribosomal RNA (rRNA) from Chlamydia trachomatis and/or Neisseria gonorrhoeae. 

Availability

Please contact the ASPHL to set up an account. 

Specimen type 

• Urine  
• Vaginal  
• Endocervical  
• Urethral (male only) 
• Rectal  
• Oropharyngeal 
• Conjunctival on prior approval 

Specimen collection instructions 

Supply Request Form  

Provider-collected swabs

Hologic APTIMA Collection Kits

• Aptima® Urine Collection Kit for Male and Female Urine Specimens (yellow tube)  
  • First catch urine of initial urine stream; must be added to transport within 24 hours of collection.  Urine collection instructions here. 
• Aptima® Multitest Swab Specimen Collection Kit for Anogenital lesions, Vaginal, Throat, and Rectal Swab Specimens (orange tube) 
  • Used for Anogenital lesions, Vaginal, Rectal, and Oropharyngeal collections. 
  • Follow instruction provided in kit (or use links above for each sample source). 
• Aptima® Unisex Swab Specimen Collection Kit for Endocervical and Male Urethral Swab Specimens (white tube) 
  • Used for endocervical, urethral, rectal, oropharyngeal, and eye 
  • Add swabs to transport immediately.   
  • Do not submit white shafted cleaning swabs for testing. 

Patient-collected swabs 

Hologic APTIMA Collection Kits

• Aptima® Multitest Swab Specimen Collection Kit for Vaginal, Throat, and Rectal Swab Specimens (orange tube) 
  • Patient-collected penile, vaginal, rectal, and throat swabs.  
  • Patient-collected vaginal swab. 

Storage and transport  

• Ambient temperature 
• Package, label, and ship as UN3373, Biological Specimen, Category B  
• Urine specimens must be tested within 30 days of collection, Unisex swab specimens within 60 days 

Ship to: Anchorage Public Health Laboratory, ATTN: Clinical Microbiology 

Results  

• Chlamydia trachomatis: Positive/Negative 
• Neisseria gonorrhoeae: Positive/Negative 

Therapeutic failure or success cannot be determined with the APTIMA Combo 2 Assay since the nucleic acid may persist following appropriate antimicrobial therapy. 

 A normal result is negative. 

Turnaround time  

1-2 days

CPT code and fee  

All CT/GC testing is free except Chlamydia trachomatis (eye) testing 

CPT: 87491 

ASPHL Fee Agreement Form

Notes   

Not a test of cure.  Tests that are performed less than 4-6 weeks after completion of therapy might be falsely positive due to the presence of nonviable organisms. 

Resources