True prevalence of long-COVID in a nationwide, population cohort study.

Long-COVID prevalence estimates vary widely and should take account of symptoms that would have occurred anyway. Here we determine the prevalence of symptoms attributable to SARS-CoV-2 infection, taking account of background rates and confounding, in a nationwide population cohort study of 198,096 Scottish adults. 98,666 (49.

Natural history of long-COVID in a nationwide, population cohort study.

Previous studies on the natural history of long-COVID have been few and selective. Without comparison groups, disease progression cannot be differentiated from symptoms originating from other causes. The Long-COVID in Scotland Study (Long-CISS) is a Scotland-wide, general population cohort of adults who had laboratory-confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection matched to PCR-negative adults.

Outcomes among confirmed cases and a matched comparison group in the Long-COVID in Scotland study.

With increasing numbers infected by SARS-CoV-2, understanding long-COVID is essential to inform health and social care support. A Scottish population cohort of 33,281 laboratory-confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infections and 62,957 never-infected individuals were followed-up via 6, 12 and 18-month questionnaires and linkage to hospitalization and death records. Of the 31,486 symptomatic infections,1,856 (6%) had not recovered and 13,350 (42%) only partially.

Five-year review of ocular Neisseria gonorrhoeae infections presenting to ophthalmology departments in Greater Glasgow & Clyde, Scotland.

Introduction: As gonococcal infections continue to increase, we wanted to review the number and clinical course of recent ocular gonococcal cases presenting to ophthalmology departments in NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde.

Methods: A 5-year retrospective review of adult ocular gonococcal cases, where the diagnosis of Neisseria gonorrhoeae was made on microbiological culture, was undertaken.

Results: Fifteen cases were identified (80% male).

A scaling relation for the molecular cloud lifetime in Milky Way-like galaxies.

We study the time evolution of molecular clouds across three Milky Way-like isolated disc galaxy simulations at a temporal resolution of 1 Myr and at a range of spatial resolutions spanning two orders of magnitude in spatial scale from ∼10 pc up to ∼1 kpc. The cloud evolution networks generated at the highest spatial resolution contain a cumulative total of ∼80 000 separate molecular clouds in different galactic-dynamical environments. We find that clouds undergo mergers at a rate proportional to the crossing time between their centroids, but that their physical properties are largely insensitive to these interactions.

Stellar clustering shapes the architecture of planetary systems.

Planet formation is generally described in terms of a system containing the host star and a protoplanetary disk, of which the internal properties (for example, mass and metallicity) determine the properties of the resulting planetary system. However, (proto)planetary systems are predicted and observed to be affected by the spatially clustered stellar formation environment, through either dynamical star-star interactions or external photoevaporation by nearby massive stars. It is challenging to quantify how the architecture of planetary sysems is affected by these environmental processes, because stellar groups spatially disperse within less than a billion years, well below the ages of most known exoplanets.

Ten-year review of a shared care approach in the management of ocular chlamydia trachomatis infections.

Introduction: Since 2007, the ocular 4:1 multiplex PCR assay in NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde includes Chlamydia trachomatis (ocular chlamydia (OC)) testing. OC can be identified following routine 'viral' ophthalmic testing, including in asymptomatic patients. A published audit from 2008 identified only 25% of our OC patients attended and completed sexual health management, particularly when ophthalmologists initiated treatment.

Reducing time to treatment of bacterial sexually transmitted infections in an HIV cohort.

Sexually transmitted infections (STIs) are known to increase the risk of transmission of HIV and care of sexual health needs should form part of routine HIV care. Delayed treatment of STIs can lead to complications and avoidable onward transmission. Management of acute STIs in UK specialist sexual health services usually involves a multidisciplinary approach to ensure patient recall, antimicrobial treatment and partner notification.

A brief recent history of the epidemiology of congenital syphilis in the United Kingdom.

Within a century, congenital syphilis has been reduced from a major cause of morbidity and mortality to a condition rarely seen in the UK. Here, newly-derived literature and information searches were used to create a contemporary overview of the epidemic, including its epidemiology. Although constrained by high-quality healthcare services and with an incidence below the World Health Organization elimination threshold, congenital syphilis still has the potential to cause major consequences for the health and life chances of affected infants.

2017 European guideline for the screening, prevention and initial management of hepatitis B and C infections in sexual health settings.

This guideline updates the 2010 European guideline for the management of hepatitis B and C virus infections. It is primarily intended to provide advice on testing, prevention and initial management of viral hepatitis B and C for clinicians working in sexual health clinical settings in European countries. The guideline is in a new question and answer format based on clinical situations, from which population/intervention/comparison/outcome questions were formulated.

Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) Oral Prevalence in Scotland (HOPSCOTCH): A Feasibility Study in Dental Settings.

The purpose of this study was to test the feasibility of undertaking a full population investigation into the prevalence, incidence, and persistence of oral Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) in Scotland via dental settings. Male and female patients aged 16-69 years were recruited by Research Nurses in 3 primary care and dental outreach teaching centres and 2 General Dental Practices (GDPs), and by Dental Care Teams in 2 further GDPs. Participants completed a questionnaire (via an online tablet computer or paper) with socioeconomic, lifestyle, and sexual history items; and were followed up at 6-months for further questionnaire through appointment or post/online.

A new multiplex real-time PCR test for HSV1/2 and syphilis: an evaluation of its impact in the laboratory and clinical setting.

Objectives: To develop, evaluate and implement a new multiplex real-time PCR test for the detection of herpes simplex virus (HSV)1, HSV2 and syphilis in a single sample using a single test.

Methods: A multiplex real-time PCR test detecting HSV1, HSV2 and Treponema pallidum was designed, validated and evaluated for a period of 6 months on patients attending the Sandyford Initiative (a series of genitourinary medicine clinics in and around Glasgow). A total of 692 samples were tested, and T pallidum PCR positives were confirmed by a second PCR at the Scottish Reference Laboratory (SBSTIRL).