Guidance for the detection of gonorrhoea in England
Guidance on detecting gonorrhoea, including dual nucleic acid amplification tests (NAATs) for chlamydia and gonorrhoea.
Documents
Details
In light of the findings of a report on the use of dual NAATs for chlamydia and gonorrhoea in the National Chlamydia Screening Programme (NCSP), PHE has published revised guidance for the detection of gonorrhoea in England, including guidance on the use of dual NAATs for chlamydia and gonorrhoea.
The guidance aims to inform the commissioning and clinical delivery of gonorrhoea testing in England by recommending best practice. It highlights that in almost all settings the use of a supplementary NAAT is required to confirm the result, even in settings where prevalence is high, and the need to ensure effective and robust care pathways and management.
There are 2 supplementary documents to support the testing guidance:
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a tool which supports decision-making on gonorrhoea testing by estimating positive predictive values (PPVs) by clinical setting type in each local authority in England - this uses a statistical algorithm which was developed by quantifying the relationship between the prevalence of gonorrhoea in GUM clinic and community-based settings, using areas where data for both are available
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a gonorrhoea testing service specification template for commissioners
The guidance can be used by local government and partners to deliver effective, evidence-based services for the detection and management of gonorrhoea.
