Sexually spread diseases continue to rise, with reported chlamydia cases setting yet another record in 2008, officials at the Centers for Disease Control recently reported. The CDC estimates that approximately 19 million new STD infections occur each year. Approximately half of them occur in young people between 15 to 24 years of age.
"Part of the challenge of treating a young person is to have them come back for a follow-up visit to get the diagnosis of an exam. During this waiting period, a patient can be sexually active, with one or multiple partners, thus contributing to the growing STD problem," says Larry Siebert, CEO of Chembio Diagnostics, a New York-based company that develops, manufactures, licenses and markets proprietary rapid diagnostic tests.
The standard syphilis tests, usually either the Rapid Plasma Reagin (RPR) or Venereal Disease Research Laboratory (VDRL), followed by a more specific treponemal confirmatory (EIA) assay, keep the patient waiting two weeks for results.
According to Siebert this is far from ideal. "Individuals in high risk groups should be diagnosed at the point of care so as to provide the best chance for behavior modification, other prevention strategies and, where appropriate, treatment." Siebert went on to note that rapid, point-of-care (POC) tests such as those his company is developing for syphilis are an essential and integral part of any and all prevention programs.