Diagnostic tests and specimens used to screen for Chlamydia trachomatis in genitourinary medicine clinics in the United Kingdom.

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.