DIAGNOSING CONDITIONS
Undestanding
Sexually Transmitted
Infections
Sexually transmitted infections (STIs) affect millions annually, yet stigma, lack of awareness, and limited healthcare access leave many undiagnosed. These may include chlamydia, gonorrhea, trichomoniasis, syphilis, human papillomavirus (HPV), herpes simplex virus (HSV), and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). Without early detection, STIs can lead to severe complications like infertility, cancer, pregnancy complications, and increased HIV risk.
HOW THE CURRENT SYSTEM IS FAILING WOMEN
Early Detection Is Crucial for STI Treatment
Many STIs don’t show symptoms, so routine testing is critical for early diagnosis. Without timely detection, infections can go unnoticed and lead to serious health problems as well as spread to others.
Menstrual blood has shown promise in being a more accessible and innovative approach to earlier STI detection.
STIs by the Numbers
Curable STIs are acquired every day worldwide in people aged 15–49.
New infections occur annually with 1 of 4 curable STIs: chlamydia, gonorrhea, syphilis, and trichomoniasis.
People aged 15–49 are estimated to have a genital herpes infection.
Qvin Simplifies
STI Screening
Partner with Qvin
THE PROBLEM
Approximately $15.9 billion was spent on lifetime
medical costs for incident STIs in the U.S. alone in 2018.
THE SOLUTION
Qvin makes STI testing accessible, increasing
early detection, reducing costs, and saving lives.
Rationale
Menstrual blood contains a mixture of vaginal secretions, endometrial cells, cervical mucus, and peripheral blood, all of which can harbor sexually transmitted infections (STIs) such as Chlamydia trachomatis, Neisseria gonorrhoeae, and Trichomonas vaginalis. These pathogens infect epithelial cells in the cervix and vagina, and their DNA can be effectively captured in menstrual effluent. Tampon-based sampling has demonstrated high diagnostic sensitivity using PCR methods, often surpassing traditional swab or urine-based diagnostics [1][2][3]. For example, tampon specimens detected C. trachomatis with 100% sensitivity and outperformed urine in detecting T. vaginalis [3][4]. One study found that tampon PCR identified T. vaginalis in 15.8% of women compared to only 8.6% by conventional diagnostics, reinforcing the value of this self-collection method [4].
Q-Pad
The Q-Pad, a novel, patented collection device with an embedded Dried Menstrual Sample strip, is a promising platform for STI screening via menstrual blood. Building on the success of tampons and sanitary napkins used for self-collected STI detection [2][4][5], the Q-Pad offers a discreet, comfortable, and scalable approach to capturing menstrual effluent. Sanitary pads modified for nucleic acid detection have shown 93.1% sensitivity and 98.9% specificity for detecting C. trachomatis, with stable performance even after prolonged room-temperature storage [5]. The strong performance of tampon PCR for T. vaginalis, as demonstrated by Paterson et al., further supports the use of menstrual hygiene products for high-sensitivity STI diagnostics [4]. The Q-Pad’s dried blood format enhances sample stability, enabling home-based collection and mailing—key features for scaling access in remote or underserved populations.
Research
[1] Pilot study of the utility and acceptability of tampon sampling for the diagnosis of Neisseria gonorrhoeae and Chlamydia trachomatis infections by duplex realtime polymerase chain reaction in United Kingdom sex workers, Kimmitt PT et al., International Journal of STD & AIDS, 2010.
[2] Evaluation of patient-administered tampon specimens for Chlamydia trachomatis and Neisseria gonorrhoeae, Tabrizi SN et al., Sexually Transmitted Diseases, 2000.
[3] Evaluation of self-collected samples in contrast to practitioner-collected samples for detection of Chlamydia trachomatis, Neisseria gonorrhoeae, and Trichomonas vaginalis by polymerase chain reaction among women living in remote areas, Knox J et al., Sexually Transmitted Diseases, 2002.
[4] The tampon test for trichomoniasis: a comparison between conventional methods and a polymerase chain reaction for Trichomonas vaginalis in women, Paterson BA et al., Sexually Transmitted Infections, 1998.
[5] Evaluation of a Modified Sanitary Napkin as a Sample Self-Collection Device for the Detection of Genital Chlamydial Infection in Women, Alary M et al., Journal of Clinical Microbiology, 2001.
JOIN US
Early STI detection can
improve health outcomes.
Be a part of the solution and help transform STI care.
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Research
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