MOLECULAR DIAGNOSTICS :: STIs
Photo 19206463 © Nenovbrothers |
Dreamstime.com
COVID-19’s impact on testing practices for sexually transmitted infections
By Kara Nadeau I
n April 2022, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) re- leased its 2020 STD Surveillance
Report, based on data that “provide(s) the clearest picture yet of COVID-19’s impact on the U.S. STD epidemic.” 1 According to the CDC, reported cases of sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) declined during the first few months of the pandemic, which the agency at- tributes to a drop in testing. Because healthcare facilities were overwhelmed with COVID-19 patients, and others temporarily shut their doors, there were fewer places for individuals to turn for STD screening.
Comparing lab reporting of STDs from
April 2019 to April 2020: • 30% decrease overall in total number of positive STD test results via electronic laboratory reporting (ELR), 40% drop in positive tests via paper reporting
• 38% decrease in positive reactive syphilis serologies via ELR, 49% via paper
• 32% decrease in positive chlamydia results via ELR, 40% via paper
• 15% decrease in positive gonorrhea results via ELR, 34% via paper 2
36 JUNE 2022
MLO-ONLINE.COM The CDC data shows a resurgence in
STDs by the end of 2020, as testing once again became widely available, with reported cases of gonorrhea, syphilis, and congenital syphilis surpassing 2019 levels. “The COVID-19 pandemic put enormous pressure on an already strained public health infrastructure,” said Jonathan Mermin, MD, MPH, Director of CDC’s National Center for HIV, Viral Hepatitis, STD, and TB Prevention. “There were moments in 2020 when it felt like the world was standing still, but STDs weren’t. The unrelenting momentum of the STD epidemic continued even as STD pre- vention services were disrupted.” Under its Clinical Prevention Guid-
ance, the CDC describes five major strategies for the prevention and control of STDs - also referred to as sexually transmitted infections (STIs) - with three focused on testing and diagnosis. 1. Accurate risk assessment and educa- tion and counseling of persons at risk regarding ways to avoid STIs through changes in sexual behaviors and use of recommended prevention services 2. Pre-exposure vaccination for vaccine preventable STIs
3. Identification of persons with an asymp- tomatic infection and persons with symptoms associated with an STI 4. Effective diagnosis, treatment, counseling, and follow-up of persons who are infected with an STI 5. Evaluation, treatment, and counseling of sex partners of persons who are infected with an STI11 With STD screenings on the rise, clini- cal labs are faced with higher volumes of tests to process with fewer staff members and shortages of laboratory consumables, including blood specimen collection tubes.
Manufacturers of laboratory equip- ment and supplies share their insights on the challenges faced by labs in screen- ing for STDs and steps labs can take to diagnose patients with greater accuracy and efficiency.
Process automation “The pandemic aggravated the pre- existing laboratory staffing shortages brought on by overdemand and burnout,” said James Walker, VP of MDx Core & Women’s Health and Cancer, BD. “Plus, the pandemic saw many more experi-
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52
