IUSTI Europe position statement on use of DoxyPEP: June 2024.

This position statement is aimed at front-line clinical practitioners and public health authorities in WHO European Region providing services for people wishing to reduce their risk of acquiring sexually transmitted infections (STIs), including HIV.

Genitourinary medicine consultant workforce in England 2023 - establishing the true numbers.

Workforce planning of future requirements depends on accurate data and the GUM consultant and trainee workforce is reviewed annually by Health Education England (HEE) and the Royal College of Physicians (RCP) to make recommendations for specialty training numbers. A deep dive exercise in 2017 undertaken with HEE revealed that the headcount was reasonably accurate but there was much less certainty around the whole-time equivalent (WTE). The aim of this study was to triangulate the multiple sources of data regarding Consultants in the specialty, to identify and complete the gaps in data.

British Association for Sexual Health and HIV (BASHH) United Kingdom national guideline on the management of 2021.

The main objective of this guideline is to assist practitioners in managing individuals diagnosed with (TV). It offers recommendations on the diagnostic tests, treatment regimens and health promotion principles needed for the effective management of TV. It covers the management of the initial presentation, as well as how to prevent transmission and future re-infection.

Evaluation of the BD MAX™ Vaginal Panel for the detection of vaginal infections in a sexual health service in the UK.

The aim of this study is to compare the performance of the BD MAX™ Vaginal Panel (Becton, Dickinson and company, Franklin Lakes, NJ, USA) in the diagnosis of bacterial vaginosis (BV), candidiasis and trichomoniasis with current standard tests in a UK specialist sexual health service. Women with abnormal vaginal discharge attending the service who had not used douches or vaginal treatment in the preceding 48 hours had two vulvovaginal swabs taken: one for Chlamydia and gonorrhoea nucleic acid amplification test (NAAT) and one for testing on the BD MAX™ Vaginal Panel on the BD MAX System. Speculum examination was then performed and vaginal swabs taken for vaginal pH, and microscopy of vaginal secretions: Gram stain for Candida and BV using the Hay-Ison score and wet-mount for clue cells and Trichomonas vaginalis (TV).

2018 European (IUSTI/WHO) International Union against sexually transmitted infections (IUSTI) World Health Organisation (WHO) guideline on the management of vaginal discharge.

Four common pathological conditions are associated with vaginal discharge: bacterial vaginosis, aerobic vaginitis, candidosis, and the sexually transmitted infection, trichomoniasis. Chlamydial or gonococcal cervical infection may result in vaginal discharge. Vaginal discharge may be caused by a range of other physiological and pathological conditions including atrophic vaginitis, desquamative inflammatory vaginitis, cervicitis, and mucoid ectopy.

2016 European guideline for the management of vulval conditions.

Vulval conditions may present to a variety of clinicians, such as dermatologists, gynaecologists and general practitioners. Women with these conditions are best managed by a multidisciplinary approach, which includes clear referral pathways between disciplines or access to a specialist multidisciplinary vulval service. Informed consent is a prerequisite for all examinations, investigations and treatments.

Rates of sexual history taking and screening in HIV-positive men who have sex with men.

A case note audit was undertaken of HIV-positive men who have sex with men (MSM) to ascertain whether national guidelines for taking sexual histories, including recreational drug use and sexually transmitted infection (STI) screening were being met. The notes of 142 HIV-positive men seen in 2015 were available, of whom 85 were MSM. Information was collected regarding sexual history, recreational drug use documentation, sexually transmitted infection screen offer and test results.

A pediatric fatality due to accidental hydromorphone ingestion.

Background: Death due to prescription opioid exposure has increased dramatically in North America. Currently, there is a lack of literature detailing potentially lethal doses as well as postmortem tissue analysis concentrations from prescription opioid fatalities in children. We report a pediatric hydromorphone fatality with postmortem peripheral blood, central blood, liver, and gastric concentrations.

Outbreak or illusion: consequences of 'improved' diagnostics for gonorrhoea.

The sexual health service in Oxford introduced gonorrhoea nucleic amplification acid testing using the BD Viper XTR™ System. For practical reasons, a confirmatory nucleic amplification acid testing using a different platform was not used initially. Following the introduction of nucleic amplification acid testing, the rates of gonorrhoea increased threefold.

Detecting asymptomatic Trichomonas vaginalis in females using the BD ProbeTec™ Trichomonas vaginalis Q nucleic acid amplification test.

Trichomonas vaginalis (TV) rates in women are increasing and many are asymptomatic. Nucleic acid amplification tests (NAATs) are becoming the 'gold standard' for diagnosis. We aimed to establish our asymptomatic TV rates by testing all women attending Oxfordshire's Sexual Health service, regardless of symptoms, using the BD ProbeTec™ TV Q NAATs (BDQ).

Acute 3,4-methylenedioxy-N-ethylcathinone (ethylone) intoxication and related fatality: a case report with postmortem concentrations.

A 30-year-old man reportedly ingested pills and used illicit drugs with another person. They both fell asleep that night and the following afternoon the other person found him dead. There were used hypodermic needles and a metal spoon with dark tarry substance at the death scene, and two recent puncture sites were found on his body.

Trichomonas vaginalis origins, molecular pathobiology and clinical considerations.

Purpose Of Review: To integrate a selection of the most recent data on Trichomonas vaginalis origins, molecular cell biology and T. vaginalis interactions with the urogenital tract microbiota with trichomoniasis symptoms and clinical management.

Recent Findings: Transcriptomics and proteomics datasets are accumulating, facilitating the identification and prioritization of key target genes to study T.

The impact of the 2011 UK post-exposure prophylaxis for HIV following sexual exposure guidelines: a regional retrospective audit.

A re-audit of prescribing of post-exposure prophylaxis for HIV following sexual exposure in the Thames Valley demonstrated that an updated proforma has led to significant improvements in clinician-led outcomes, but had no impact on completion or follow-up rates.

United Kingdom National Guideline on the Management of Trichomonas vaginalis 2014.

The main objective is to assist practitioners in managing men and women diagnosed withTrichomonas vaginalis(TV) infection. This guideline offers recommendations on the diagnostic tests, treatment regimens and health promotion principles needed for the effective management of TV, covering the management of the initial presentation, as well as how to prevent transmission and future infection.

The effect of different adjuvants on immune parameters and protection following vaccination of sheep with a larval-specific antigen of the gastrointestinal nematode, Haemonchus contortus.

It has recently been recognised that vaccine adjuvants play a critical role in directing the nature of a vaccine induced effector response. In the present study, several adjuvants were evaluated for their ability to protect sheep after field vaccination with the larval-specific Haemonchus contortus antigen, HcsL3. Using a suboptimal antigen dose, aluminium adjuvant was shown to reduce the cumulative faecal egg counts (cFEC) and worm burden by 23% and 25% respectively, in agreement with a previous study.

Hypophosphataemia with non-tenofovir-containing antiretroviral therapy.

Hypophosphataemia with tenofovir (TDF) treatment has been well described. The role of HIV infection and of other antiretroviral (ART) agents in hypophosphataemia has received less attention. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of hypophosphataemia in HIV-positive adults.

Field vaccination of sheep with a larval-specific antigen of the gastrointestinal nematode, Haemonchus contortus, confers significant protection against an experimental challenge infection.

The availability of effective vaccines would add a valuable tool to the management of gastrointestinal nematode infections in livestock. While some experimental vaccines have shown protection in laboratory trials, few have been tested in the field. In the present study, eight month old sheep kept on pasture were treated with anthelmintic 8 weeks before vaccination with a larval surface antigen of the nematode parasite, Haemonchus contortus, under a commercially acceptable protocol, i.