Sexually Transmitted Infections最新文献

{"title":"Impact of decentralised, community-led molecular STI point-of-care testing on testing practices in remote First Nations communities in Australia.","authors":"Annie Tangey, Kirsty Smith, Belinda Hengel, Kelly Andrewartha, Handan Wand, Amit Saha, Jessica Leonard, Manoji Gunathilake, Lorraine Anderson, Donna B Mak, Steven Badman, David Persing, Basil Donovan, Lisa Maher, Susan Matthews, Christopher K Fairley, Mark Shephard, John Kaldor, Rae-Lin Huang, James Ward, Rebecca Guy, Louise Causer","doi":"10.1136/sextrans-2025-056845","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1136/sextrans-2025-056845","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Objective: </strong>In remote Australia, where there is a substantial burden of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) among First Nations peoples, testing and timely treatment are key to reducing prevalence. We evaluated the impact of introducing molecular point-of-care (POC) testing for chlamydia/gonorrhoea and later trichomonas on STI testing (including syphilis) and positive tests.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>We conducted a retrospective interrupted time-series analysis of routinely collected data from First Nations peoples aged 15-54 years attending 20 remote/regional clinics participating in the Test, Treat and GO programme (2016-2019). We used segmented regression models to estimate the immediate level change (first month of POC) and after-period trends in monthly tests, positive tests and proportion of concurrent syphilis tests to assess sustainability. Before and after comparisons were estimated using linear regression models.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>There were 17 437 chlamydia/gonorrhoea and 14 173 trichomonas tests performed, mostly among women (69% and 64%) and individuals aged 15-34 years (72% and 68%). Following the introduction of molecular POC testing, there were immediate level increases in monthly tests: chlamydia/gonorrhoea by 26% (+154, p<0.001) and trichomonas by 21% (+116, p=0.004) and level increases of positive tests: gonorrhoea by 30% (+13, p=0.017) and trichomonas by 29% (+14, p=0.034); chlamydia was unchanged. The proportion of chlamydia/gonorrhoea tests with concurrent syphilis tests remained unchanged (-1.7%; -0.9%; p=0.531), while the proportion increased among positive chlamydia/gonorrhoea tests by 25% (+13%; p=0.013). Increased levels of testing were sustained for gonorrhoea/chlamydia (+2.7, p=0.118) and trichomonas (-3.5, p=0.400) and syphilis among those with positive chlamydia/gonorrhoea tests (-0.2%, p=0.593).</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Molecular POC testing led to immediate and sustained increases in STI testing and an immediate increase in positive tests in remote primary care. The use of POC testing is likely to result in earlier diagnosis and treatment and reduced onward transmission and sequelae, supporting a broader integration of POC testing in high-burden settings.</p>","PeriodicalId":21624,"journal":{"name":"Sexually Transmitted Infections","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.0,"publicationDate":"2026-06-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148309413","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"REPRIEVE in practice: a single-centre longitudinal service evaluation of implementing best-practice cardiovascular disease prevention in people living with HIV.","authors":"Cate Goldwater Breheny, Rama Aowidah, Argyro Ioanna Karataraki, Chiara Dell'Oro, Joe Smith","doi":"10.1136/sextrans-2025-056847","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1136/sextrans-2025-056847","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Objectives: </strong>To determine the number of eligible people living with HIV (PLWHIV) in a London tertiary care centre receiving statins and cardiovascular health lifestyle advice; to determine whether age, sex or QRISK3 cardiovascular risk score influences statin prescription; to identify barriers to statin access in the HIV clinic to General Practice pathway; and to determine whether statin prescriptions were continued after 6 months.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>A retrospective review of clinic letters from consecutive patients attending specialist HIV clinic appointments in April 2024, and their 6-month follow-up appointments, was conducted via electronic patient records.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Seven hundred and sixteen consultations were extracted, representing 358 participants, at two different time points: 195 (54%) patients were eligible for statin initiation at their initial appointment and 94 (48% of the eligible patients) had a recorded discussion around statin initiation in HIV clinic. Fifty (53% of patients who had a discussion) gave consent to begin statins. Only 28 (56% of consenting patients) were prescribed a statin. Smoking status was not up to date for 64 (33%) of PLWHIV eligible for statins and 141 (72%) did not have cardiovascular health lifestyle modification discussion. Multivariable regression found only QRISK3 score significantly affected statin discussion (OR: 1.137, 1.030 to 1.271) and initiation (OR: 1.244, 1.100 to 1.430).</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Many PLWHIV eligible for statins are not discussing this with their clinician; some willing patients are still not prescribed a statin. PLWHIV may be missing out on lifestyle advice for preventing cardiovascular disease. Further support for PLWHIV in both primary and secondary care would be useful to increase statin uptake.</p>","PeriodicalId":21624,"journal":{"name":"Sexually Transmitted Infections","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.0,"publicationDate":"2026-06-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148278611","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"High prevalence of sexually transmitted infections among adolescent girls and young women seeking HIV testing in Entebbe, Uganda.","authors":"Benjamin Watyaba, Derrick Mugisha, Bushirah Mutesi, Hamza Kalutte, Ezra Wanzira, Derick Kisitu, Claire Mukwano, Flavia Nakanjako, Henry Kajumbula, Bernard Kikaire","doi":"10.1136/sextrans-2026-056911","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1136/sextrans-2026-056911","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Adolescent girls and young women (AGYW) in Uganda experience a high burden of sexually transmitted infections (STIs), increasing vulnerability to HIV acquisition. Despite the WHO and Uganda's Ministry of Health recommendations, routine integration of STI screening into HIV testing services (HTS) remains limited. We assessed the prevalence of laboratory-confirmed STIs, associated factors and <i>Neisseria gonorrhoeae</i> antimicrobial resistance among AGYW seeking HTS in Entebbe, Uganda.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>We conducted a cross-sectional study among 321 AGYW aged 15-24 years attending HTS at the Uganda Virus Research Institute (UVRI) clinic. Endocervical swabs were tested for <i>N. gonorrhoeae</i> (culture and sensitivity), <i>Trichomonas vaginalis</i> (wet microscopy) and bacterial vaginosis (BV; Nugent scoring). Syphilis was assessed using the <i>Treponema pallidum</i> haemagglutination assay. Modified Poisson regression was used to estimate adjusted prevalence ratios (aPR) for factors associated with any STI.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Overall STI prevalence was 35.2% (n=113, 95% CI 30.0 to 40.5), with 41.6% (47/113) of infections occurring among asymptomatic individuals, driven largely by BV at 31.5% (100/318), followed by <i>T. vaginalis</i> at 7.3% (23/316), syphilis at 5.0% (16/321) and <i>N. gonorrhoeae</i> at 1.3% (4/318). STI prevalence among AGYW who tested positive for HIV was 47.8% (11/23), while among those who tested negative was 34.2% (102/298). In multivariable analysis, having fewer sexual partners was associated with lower STI prevalence (one partner: aPR 0.07, 95% CI 0.03 to 0.14; 2-3 partners: aPR 0.73, 95% CI 0.58 to 0.90, compared with >3 partners); condom use was associated with lower STI prevalence (aPR 0.62, 95% CI 0.45 to 0.84), and intrauterine device use was associated with higher STI prevalence (aPR 1.61, 95% CI 1.24 to 2.08). Among four <i>N. gonorrhoeae</i> isolates, three showed resistance to ciprofloxacin, and all four were resistant to penicillin G; all were susceptible to cefotaxime.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>A high burden of STIs, including asymptomatic infections, was observed among AGYW seeking HTS in an urban Ugandan setting. These findings support the integration of diagnostic STI screening into HTS.</p>","PeriodicalId":21624,"journal":{"name":"Sexually Transmitted Infections","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.0,"publicationDate":"2026-06-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148265822","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"User characteristics and use patterns in the STI-X STI test vending pilot.","authors":"David Evans, Kim Cowen, Ashleigh Colquhoun, Anne-Marie Kelly, Jane Tomnay, Jane S Hocking, Teralynn Ludwick","doi":"10.1136/sextrans-2025-056892","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1136/sextrans-2025-056892","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Objectives: </strong>Sexually transmitted infections (STI) testing is less frequently accessed in rural and regional Australian communities due to many barriers, including limited access to specialised services and stigma. To address this, we sought to pilot the implementation of STI test kit dispensing vending machines and assess their acceptability and use.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>We conducted a 12-month pilot, placing two free STI test kit vending machines in 4-month intervals across seven rural and regional towns/cities. We worked with each community to determine ideal placement locations and marketing strategies. We assessed utilisation rates, return rates, positive diagnosis rates and user satisfaction.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>The vending machines dispensed 176 STI test kits over a period of 836 days in situ across seven towns/cities. Users ranged from 17 years to 70 years of age-those over 30 years had a greater odds of travelling over 25 km to access a test compared with younger users (OR 0.53, 95%CI 0.28 to 1.01). A large number (43.9%) of users reported having never completed an STI test before. 32 users returned samples for analysis with 12.5% receiving a positive result. Of the users who rated the vending machine process, 94.0% (79/84) rated it as 'easy' or 'very easy' to use and 95.6% (86/90) rated the process as 'fast' or 'very fast'.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Our pilot suggests that STI test kit vending machines are an acceptable testing option for a wide range of users in rural and regional communities. Further research is necessary to understand how to improve return rates in order to improve sustainability.</p>","PeriodicalId":21624,"journal":{"name":"Sexually Transmitted Infections","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.0,"publicationDate":"2026-06-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148265958","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Acute hepatitis C related to chemsex: insights from a Spanish cohort.","authors":"Elia Asensi Díaz, Beatriz Álvarez Álvarez, Angel Luis Castaño Núñez, Laura Prieto-Pérez, Marta López de Las Heras, Irene Carrillo-Acosta, Aws Waleed Al-Hayani, Raquel Tellez Pérez, Miguel Górgolas, Alfonso Cabello","doi":"10.1136/sextrans-2025-056844","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1136/sextrans-2025-056844","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Despite the transformative impact of direct-acting antivirals (DAAs) on hepatitis C control, acute/recent hepatitis C virus (HCV) infections continue to be diagnosed in contemporary clinical practice. We describe acute/recent HCV cases diagnosed at a tertiary hospital in Madrid among men who have sex with men (MSM), including people living with HIV (PLHIV) and pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) users.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>We conducted a retrospective, single-centre descriptive study including acute/recent HCV cases reported between January 2023 and January 2025. Cases were defined by detectable HCV RNA following a previously negative HCV serology or after a cured HCV infection (reinfection). Chemsex was defined as intentional use of psychoactive substances in sexual contexts; slamsex as injecting drugs in sexual contexts. Patients initially managed with watchful waiting were reassessed at 12 weeks to assess spontaneous clearance.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Ninety-two cases were included; median age was 43 years (IQR 36-52) and 24 (26.1%) were >50 years. In total, 91 out of 92 (98.9%) were MSM; 70 (76.1%) were PLHIV and 19 (20.7%) were PrEP users. Among 84 patients with genotype data, 55 (59.8%) had genotype 1a, 8 (8.7%) 1b, and 21 (22.8%) genotype 4. HCV RNA was >6 log in 41 (44.6%) and >7 log in 18 (19.6%). Chemsex was reported by 72 (78.3%); among them, 38 (52.8%) reported slamsex. Among those with available data, 17 out of 54 (31.5%) had another sexually transmitted infection. Watchful waiting was initially adopted in 73 (79.3%); 5 out of 73 (6.8%) achieved spontaneous clearance at 12 weeks. Of those observed, 68 (93.2%) initiated DAAs; 9 (9.8%) were treated at diagnosis. Ten (10.9%) were lost to follow-up before treatment initiation; sustained virological response was achieved in treated patients.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Acute/recent HCV diagnoses occurred predominantly among MSM, including PLHIV and PrEP users, with frequent reporting of chemsex/slamsex. Low spontaneous clearance and losses before treatment initiation highlight the need for targeted HCV testing and linkage to care in HIV/PrEP and sexual health services, alongside harm reduction and substance use support.</p>","PeriodicalId":21624,"journal":{"name":"Sexually Transmitted Infections","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2026-06-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148205983","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Implementing STI point-of-care testing using a whole-system programme model: the ProSPiRO implementation research protocol.","authors":"Sebastian Suarez Fuller, Valeska Padovese, S Tariq Sadiq, Karel Blondeel, Igor Toskin","doi":"10.1136/sextrans-2025-056889","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1136/sextrans-2025-056889","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Objectives: </strong>Sexually transmitted infections (STIs) continue to cause substantial global morbidity and mortality, compounded by reliance on syndromic management and limited access to laboratory diagnostics. Although point-of-care tests (POCTs) can enable timely diagnosis and treatment, their adoption within health systems remains inconsistent. Here we present an implementation research protocol that aims to generate evidence on the acceptability, feasibility and suitability of a collaborative whole-system programme model to support implementation of STI POCTs and improve access to STI testing and treatment across diverse populations and settings.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>This implementation research protocol describes a whole-system programme model for STI POCTs that can be locally adapted across multiple countries and is delivered through structured, interest-holder-led workshops. Participating sites will vary across sexual and reproductive health services, antenatal care and general practice. Sites will implement POCTs for <i>Chlamydia trachomatis, Neisseria gonorrhoeae</i>, <i>Trichomonas vaginalis</i> and/or HIV/syphilis for 1 year. A mixed-methods evaluation will assess patient clinical outcomes, health system capacity, economic costs and acceptability among patients, healthcare professionals and policymakers. Quantitative data will be collected before and after implementation alongside qualitative data from workshops, focus group discussions and interviews. A realist case-study comparison approach will examine mechanisms influencing implementation. Primary outcomes include changes in same-day diagnosis and appropriate treatment, patient and provider acceptability, service delivery capacity and incremental cost consequences compared with usual care. The evaluation will identify which components of the programme model are effective, for which services and under what circumstances, and will generate policy-relevant evidence on barriers and facilitators to POCT adoption.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>This study addresses a key evidence gap in how to integrate STI POCTs sustainably within health systems. By combining local co-design, structured knowledge exchange and rigorous evaluation, the programme model has the potential to support equitable scale-up of STI POCTs and inform national policy and service delivery.</p>","PeriodicalId":21624,"journal":{"name":"Sexually Transmitted Infections","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2026-06-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148176753","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Diagnosing established and acute HIV in the context of facility-based HIV testing services in rural Eswatini: a cross-sectional study.","authors":"Iza Ciglenecki, Bernhard Kerschberger, Esther Mukooza, Skinner Lekelem, Nombuso Ntshalintshali, Mpumelelo Mavimbela, Sindisiwe Dlamini, Lenhle Dube, Nomvuyo Mabuza, Roberto de Latour, Melat Haile, Tom Ellman, Olivia Keiser, Niklaus Daniel Labhardt, Sindy Matse, Alexandra Calmy","doi":"10.1136/sextrans-2025-056838","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1136/sextrans-2025-056838","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Introduction: </strong>Acute HIV infection (AHI) is the brief period between viral acquisition and the appearance of HIV antibodies and cannot be detected by routinely used HIV rapid diagnostic tests (RDTs). Its role is likely to become increasingly important in the rapidly changing context of HIV testing in high-burden countries. We describe the characteristics of individuals attending HIV testing services (HTS) in rural Eswatini and the prevalence of newly diagnosed HIV, including AHI.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Adults aged ≥18 years were enrolled at six routine HTS between June 2022 and April 2023. Participants completed detailed questionnaires. Routine HIV testing was conducted using the national serial RDT algorithm (Determine and Uni-Gold). HIV viral load (VL) analysis was performed on the Xpert platform (Xpert HIV-1 Viral Load, Cepheid) in the central laboratory. Newly diagnosed HIV was defined as a positive HIV RDT algorithm with detectable VL (established HIV), or negative or discordant HIV RDT together with VL ≥10 000 copies/mL (AHI).</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Of 1095 participants with a median age of 27 years (IQR 22-33), 684 (61.5%) were women. Risk factors for HIV acquisition were common: >1 sexual partner (332, 30.3%), condomless sex (452, 44.5%), not knowing main partner's HIV status (437, 42.8%). Symptoms consistent with AHI (713, 65.1%) and genito-urinary (660, 60.3%) infections were common. Overall, 41 participants (3.7%, 95% CI 2.7% to 5.0%) were diagnosed with HIV; 31 (2.8%, 95% CI 1.9% to 3.9%) with established HIV and 10 (0.9%, 95% CI 0.04% to 1.7%) with AHI, representing 24.4% (95% CI 12.4% to 40.3%) of new diagnoses. All participants diagnosed with AHI reported symptoms consistent with AHI.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Our study among a general adult population attending HTS revealed a high overall HIV prevalence with a substantial proportion of AHI, highlighting the decreasing sensitivity of routine HTS to detect all HIV infections. To address AHI, accurate and accessible diagnostic tools and AHI testing guidance are needed.</p>","PeriodicalId":21624,"journal":{"name":"Sexually Transmitted Infections","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2026-06-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148176709","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"HIV testing in one London borough: do testing initiatives outside of sexual health persist after initial incentivised period?","authors":"Sarah Creighton, Danna Millett, Benjamin Johns, Amaia Portelli","doi":"10.1136/sextrans-2026-057043","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1136/sextrans-2026-057043","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":21624,"journal":{"name":"Sexually Transmitted Infections","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2026-06-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148157989","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Low HCV seroprevalence among PLWH: a large cross-sectional study of 6722 individuals.","authors":"Selim Merdan, Abdurrahman Sarmış, Okan Aydoğan, Yağmur Ekenoğlu-Merdan","doi":"10.1136/sextrans-2026-056936","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1136/sextrans-2026-056936","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Hepatitis C virus (HCV) coinfection is a significant comorbidity and public health concern among people living with HIV (PLWH). This study aims to estimate HCV seroprevalence among PLWH in Istanbul, Türkiye, and compare it with the HIV-negative control group and assess age-related patterns in PLWH.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>We performed a multicentre cross-sectional study including patients from nine distinct hospitals representing diverse districts of Istanbul between January 2022 and October 2025. Data were retrieved from the central laboratory system serving this hospital network. Anti-HCV was tested by third-generation electrochemiluminescence immunoassay (Elecsys Anti-HCV II, Roche). A total of 3361 PLWH and 3361 age-comparable and sex-comparable HIV-negative controls were included. Between-group differences were assessed with Fisher's exact test; within PLWH, age-group differences and trends were evaluated with χ² and linear-by-linear association tests.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>HCV seroprevalence was 0.71% among PLWH (24/3361) and 0.39% in the control group (13/3361), with no significant between-group difference (p=0.098). When PLWH were compared with HIV-negative controls, the odds of HCV seropositivity were not significantly increased (OR 1.85; 95% CI 0.94 to 3.70). Among PLWH, HCV seropositivity differed by age group (p=0.007) and increased with age (p<0.001), with no seropositive cases in individuals younger than 30 years and the highest prevalence in those older than 70 years. Genotyping was available for eight PLWH; genotype 3 predominated (5/8, 62.5%), followed by genotype 1 (3/8, 37.5%; including subtypes 1a and 1b).</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>HCV seroprevalence was low among PLWH in Türkiye and did not differ significantly from age-comparable and sex-comparable HIV-negative controls. The strong age gradient indicates that infections are concentrated in older cohorts and supports age-based screening for public health purposes in low-endemic settings.</p>","PeriodicalId":21624,"journal":{"name":"Sexually Transmitted Infections","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2026-06-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148158033","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"From syndromic management to diagnostic-led management: a report from an expert meeting on introducing sexually transmitted infection testing in low-resource settings.","authors":"Griffins O Manguro, Jill Ray, Celina Schocken, Daniel K Were, Victor O Omballa, Cheryl C Johnson, Chido Dziva Chikwari, Alison Footman, Lori M Newman, Remco P H Peters","doi":"10.1136/sextrans-2025-056890","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1136/sextrans-2025-056890","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Introduction: </strong>Syndromic management remains the primary approach for identifying and treating sexually transmitted infections (STIs) in low-resource settings. While faster and inexpensive, it leads to overtreatment, undertreatment and missed opportunities for surveillance. Recent advances in point-of-care (POC) diagnostic technologies for <i>Chlamydia trachomatis, Neisseria gonorrhoeae, Trichomonas vaginalis</i> and other STIs present new opportunities to improve STI management.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>In September 2024, the Gates Foundation convened a 3-day expert meeting in Nairobi, Kenya, bringing together 44 global and national experts in STI diagnostic development, implementation research, policy, regulatory affairs and clinical practice. The objective was to identify priorities and strategies for advancing the introduction and scale-up of STI POC testing in low-resource settings with a focus on sub-Saharan Africa.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Participants identified opportunities and barriers for introducing STI POC testing at various levels: individual client, health service delivery, national and global. At the individual client level, recommendations to optimise testing uptake included identifying and piloting strategies to improve knowledge about STIs and testing as well as addressing barriers to testing. At the health service delivery level, recommendations were to optimise clinical workflows, consider testing outside traditional health facilities (including private pharmacies), encourage self-collection and improve partner notification. At the national level, recommendations included updating treatment guidelines to incorporate diagnostic testing, strengthening laboratory quality assurance for STI tests and advocating for the public health importance of STIs, which remain underprioritised. This also involves building political commitment. At the global level, recommendations included harmonising regulatory requirements across regions, leveraging WHO prequalification processes, and expanding manufacturing capacity through technology transfer.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Effective introduction of STI POC diagnostics in low-resource settings will require coordinated efforts across global and national levels. Successful introduction, while ensuring equitable access, will accelerate access to quality STI care, reduce antimicrobial resistance and improve STI control outcomes.</p>","PeriodicalId":21624,"journal":{"name":"Sexually Transmitted Infections","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2026-06-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148157980","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}