Reliable, comprehensive, and rapid sexual health assessment

An assay kit comprising:

• a sample collecting tool for collecting a biological sample from a user;
• a container for receiving the sample collecting tool;
• a buffer for being held within the container and for extracting, from the sample on the sample collecting tool, a target material associated with a sexually transmitted infection, the target material comprising a biomarker of a pathogen that causes the sexually transmitted infection, and for extracting a target material associated with pregnancy or fertility, the target material comprising a biomarker of pregnancy or fertility, wherein the buffer comprises one or more of:
• phosphate buffered saline, Tris-buffered saline, 4-(2-hydroxyethyl)-1-piperazineethanesulfonic acid (HEPES) buffered saline, and an extraction substance comprising one or more of:
• 3-[(3-Cholamidopropyl) dimethylammonio]-1-propanesulfonate, a protein extraction reagent, octylthioglucoside, sodium hydroxide, t-octylphenoxypolyethoxyethanol, and octyl glucoside;
• and
• a signal output device, wherein the signal output device comprises at least one of each of the following:
• a loading zone at a proximal end of the signal output device, the loading zone insertable into the container such that the loading zone receives the target materials extracted in the buffer upon insertion of the loading zone into the container,
• a reaction zone fluidly connected to the loading zone such that the received target materials are able to pass from the loading zone to the reaction zone, the reaction zone comprising a first reaction substance conjugated to a first label, wherein the first reaction substance is capable of preferentially coupling to a target of one or both of the target materials,
• a testing zone fluidly connected to the reaction zone such that the first reaction substance and the first target are able to pass from the reaction zone to the testing zone, the testing zone comprising a first testing substance retained at a first region of the testing zone, wherein the first testing substance is capable of preferentially coupling to the target of one or both of the target materials such that the testing zone is able to visually display an indication of the detection of each the sexually transmitted infection, or of pregnancy or fertility;
• and
• a control zone fluidly connected to the testing zone such that the first reaction substance and the first target are able to pass from the testing zone to the control zone, the control zone comprising a control substance retained at the control zone, wherein the control substance is not capable of preferentially coupling to the target materials,
• wherein the sexually transmitted infection is selected from:
• a Chlamydia trachomatis infection, a Neisseria gonorrhoeae infection, and a Trichomonas vaginalis infection, and
• wherein the first reaction substance and the first testing substance each comprise at least one of the following wherein the first reaction substance and the first testing substance each comprise at least one of the following aptamers:
• SEQ ID NO 9, SEQ ID NO 10, SEQ ID NO 11, SEQ ID NO 12, SEQ ID NO 13, SEQ ID NO 14, SEQ ID NO 15, or SEQ ID NO 16, or at least one of the following antibodies:
• M4020310, M2103128, M61872, M61871, M4020311, HM215, HM031, 91L102, B351M, CL13-256.2.1, CT 6703 SP-5, CT 6701 SP-5, CT 6709 SP-5, CL21-335.2.3, 027-10347, M2110186, M1709NG1, M1709NG2, 386/418, M86954, 20-NR08, 15B441, 17E95, M1011403, A19G, Q65G, BD1675, B985M, B986M, 15B485, 12K238, M1011401, M1011404, or 15B483.