title: Diagnostic tests and specimens used to screen for Chlamydia trachomatis in genitourinary medicine clinics in the United Kingdom.
abstract: This questionnaire study looked at the diagnostics tests and specimens used to screen for Chlamydia trachomatis in UK genitourinary medicine (GUM) clinics. Replies were received from 70% (185/265) of clinics. Half used only one site to screen women. One-third took anal swabs from patients who had anal sex and 10% took oropharyngeal swabs from patients who had oral sex. Immunoassays were used to screen men for chlamydia in 86% of the clinics and women in 88%. Only 60% of male and 62% of female immunoassays were supplemented by a second test. Six per cent of clinics used molecular technique (MT) to screen men and 4% to screen women and 4% were trying to acquire it. Culture was not available to 58% of clinics. MT was not available to 81%, 89% of which was due to non provision locally and/or cost. Only 7% of clinicians thought that using MT for screening was unnecessary. There were significant differences in the availability of the technique between large academic and small clinics. A national review of GUM strategies to screen for C. trachomatis with adequate funding is urgently needed.
authors.affiliation: Department of Genitourinary Medicine, George Eliot Hospital, Nuneaton, Warwickshire, UK. Loay.David@GEH-TR.WMIDS.NHS.UK
authors.forename: L M
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: David
mesh_terms: D002690:Chlamydia Infections / Q000175:diagnosis*; D002692:Chlamydia trachomatis; D019937:Diagnostic Techniques and Procedures / Q000191:economics / Q000592:standards; D005260:Female; D052776:Female Urogenital Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000382:microbiology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D052801:Male Urogenital Diseases; D010044:Outpatient Clinics, Hospital; D013048:Specimen Handling; D006113:United Kingdom