P133 The effect of introducing routine self-taken extra-genital swabs in a gum clinic cohort

Abstract

<h3>Background</h3> Starting July 2013, self-taken extra-genital swabs were offered routinely to all patients attending the department. <h3>Aim</h3> To assess detection of extra-genital infection since introduction of self-taken swabs. <h3>Methods</h3> We compared patients diagnosed with Chlamydia and Gonorrhoea in the 6-month period before (February–July 2012) and after (February–July 2014) the introduction of self-taken extra-genital swabs. The rate of self-swabbing was determined in separate consecutive groups of 100 patients who had extra-genital swabs in the same periods. <h3>Results</h3> There were 408 (98 Gonorrhoea, 310 Chlamydia) detected infections in the 2012 period and 404 (121 Gonorrhoea, 283 Chlamydia) in 2014. Between 2012 and 2014, the rate of detected extra-genital Chlamydia/Gonorrhoea infections increased 4-fold from 18/408, 4.4% to 77/404 19% (P &lt; 0.0001). The rise was seen in both pharyngeal (10/408, 2.45% vs 48/404, 11.8% P &lt; 0.0001) and rectal infections (8/408, 2% vs 40/404, 9.9%, P &lt; 0.0001). Significant rises were seen in MSM in rectal (5/408, 1.2% vs 28/404, 6.9% P &lt; 0.0001) and pharyngeal infection (10/408, 2.5% vs 21/404, 5.2%, P = 0.02) and for women in rectal (3/408, 0.7% vs 12/404, 3% P &lt; 0.02) and pharyngeal infection (0/408, 0% vs 20/404, 5%, P &lt; 0.0001). In these patients, rates of extra-genital self-swabbing rose from 0% (0/24) to 58.5% (141/241), P &lt; 0.0001. In separate samples of consecutive un-infected patients having extra-genital swabs, self-swabbing rose from 0% (0/100) to 90% (90/100) P &lt; 0.0001. <h3>Conclusion</h3> The introduction of routine self -taken extra-genital swabs has led to a large rise in detected extra-genital Chlamydia and/or Gonorrhoea infection, especially for MSM and women. The rise in rates of extra-genital self-swabbing shows that this is acceptable and effective.