Mary Elizabeth Sexton, MD Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Ga
Joseph J. Baker, MD Fenway Health, Boston, Mass
Keisuke Nakagawa, BA Whitman-Walker Health, Washington, DC
Ying Li, PhD, MS Department of Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases, Georgetown University Medical Center, Washington, DC
Rodney Perkins, MS Whitman-Walker Health, Washington, DC
Rebecca S. Slack, MS Department of Biostatistics, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Tex
Daniel C. Baker, BSN Whitman-Walker Health, Washington, DC
Brian Jucha, BS Whitman-Walker Health, Washington, DC
Sameer Arora, MD, MPH Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Md
Michael W. Plankey, PhD Department of Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases, Georgetown University Medical Center, Washington, DC mwp23@georgetown.edu
The authors reported no potential conflict of interest relevant to this article.
This research was previously presented at the International Society of STD Research Meeting, in Quebec, Canada on July 12, 2012.
Testing kits were provided free of charge by Hologic Gen-Probe (San Diego, Calif), and the company performed all nucleic acid amplification testing for the study. The company otherwise provided no financial support.
Study limitations. This was a self- selected MSM sample seeking STI testing from an urban community health center. Thus, one might assume that the detection of pharyngeal and rectal gonorrhea and chlamydia infections was higher in this sample compared with the general MSM population. That seems unlikely, however, given the similarity (noted earlier) between our findings and data reported in previous studies.1-4 Additionally, the presence of a provider in the room may have influenced patient performance, as we discussed earlier.
FAST TRACK
Once optimal ways to incorporate self-testing are identified, providers should be able to comply with CDC testing guidelines.
It therefore appears that self-administered testing could have universal applicability. Once optimal ways to incorporate self-testing for both men and women are identified, providers should be able to comply with the CDC testing guidelines without an increase in time or staff needed, thereby leading to increased detection and treatment of STIs and benefits for both patients and providers.
CORRESPONDENCE Michael W. Plankey, PhD, Georgetown University Medical Center, Department of Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases, 2115 Wisconsin Avenue, NW, Suite 130, Washington, DC 20007; mwp23@georgetown.edu
