An observational study to evaluate three pilot programmes of retesting chlamydia-positive individuals within 6 months in the South West of England.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate 3 pilot chlamydia retesting programmes in South West England which were initiated prior to the release of new National Chlamydia Screening Programme (NCSP) guidelines recommending retesting in 2014.


METHODS
Individuals testing positive between August 2012 and July 2013 in Bristol (n=346), Cornwall (n=252) and Dorset (n=180) programmes were eligible for inclusion in the retesting pilots. The primary outcomes were retest within 6 months (yes/no) and repeat diagnosis at retest (yes/no), adjusted for area, age and gender.


RESULTS
Overall 303/778 (39.0%) of participants were retested within 6 months and 31/299 (10.4%) were positive at retest. Females were more likely to retest than males and Dorset had higher retesting rates than the other areas.


CONCLUSIONS
More than a third of those eligible were retested within the time frame of the study. Chlamydia retesting programmes appear feasible within the context of current programmes to identify individuals at continued risk of infection with relatively low resource and time input.
Department of Screening and Immunisation, Public Health England, Bristol, UK.
Georgina
G
Angel
School of Social and Community Medicine, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK.
Paddy J
PJ
Horner
South West Office of Sexual Health, Public Health England, Bristol, UK.
Norah
N
O'Brien
Cornwall Chlamydia Screening Office, Royal Cornwall Hospitals Trust, Truro, UK.
Matt
M
Sharp
Young People Public Health Team, Public Health England, Bristol, UK.
Karl
K
Pye
The Park Centre for Sexual Health, Weymouth, UK.
Cecilia
C
Priestley
Department of Social Medicine, School of Social and Community Medicine, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK.
John
J
Macleod
Department of Screening and Immunisation, Public Health England, Bristol, UK.
Katharine J
KJ
Looker
School of Social and Community Medicine/School of Veterinary Sciences, University of Bristol, Bath, UK.
Katherine M E
http://orcid.org/0000-0002-8152-6017
KM
Turner
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002689:Chlamydia; D002690:Chlamydia Infections / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000382:microbiology; D004739:England; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008403:Mass Screening; D010865:Pilot Projects; D015397:Program Evaluation; D012111:Residence Characteristics; D012737:Sex Factors; D055815:Young Adult
EPIDEMIOLOGY