Evaluation of a fast test to identify the presence of proline aminopeptidase in women with bacterial vaginosis.

Abstract

OBJECTIVE:

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the activity of proline aminopeptidase by a rapid paper strip test in women with bacterial vaginosis (BV).

METHODS:

Vaginal secretions of 1,387 voluntary patients attending the Obstetrics and Gynecology Infectious Diseases Clinic at Juárez Hospital of Mexico City were collected and examined. Patients were assigned into 2 groups: 483 with BV according to clinical and laboratory criteria and 604 without BV as the control group. For the purposes of this study, 300 patients with trichomonas and/or yeast were excluded from the BV group. The strips were prepared by using L-proline beta-naphthylamide and L-proline p-nitroanilide as the substrates to detect proline aminopeptidase activity in concentrated vaginal secretions. In parallel, all samples were also analyzed with the standard methods in microplates containing either sustrate as a control of the rapid strip test. The test was interpreted after 3-5 min of incubation.

RESULTS:

The results in the strip and microplate assays were similar in 95% of the samples. Sensitivity was 91.7% and specificity was 94.2%; probability of BV if the test is positive was 92.6% and negative predictive value was 93.4%.

CONCLUSIONS:

These findings indicate that this aminopeptidase rapid strip assay provides a 3-5 min identification of activity of the enzyme in women with BV. The procedure is a rapid, non-expensive, sensitive, and useful test at the gynecologic clinic.

• Authors: E Calderón, R Rivera, S Gordillo, C Conde-Glez
• Journal: Infectious diseases in obstetrics and gynecology (Infect Dis Obstet Gynecol) Vol. 5 Issue 3 Pg. 226-31 ( 1997) ISSN: 1064-7449 [Print] Egypt
• PMID: 18476142 (Publication Type: Journal Article)