Unsupervised screening for chlamydia and gonorrhoea in backpacker hostels in Manly, Sydney
Stephen C. Davies A C , Brooke Shepherd B , Rebecca Wiig A and Iain Kaan BA North Shore Sexual Health Service, Royal North Shore Hospital, St Leonards, NSW 2065, Australia.
B HIV and Related Programs Health Promotion Unit, Northern Sydney LHD, Sydney, NSW 2065, Australia.
C Corresponding author. Email: sdavies@nsccahs.health.nsw.gov.au
Sexual Health 10(2) 185-187 https://doi.org/10.1071/SH12136
Submitted: 30 April 2012 Accepted: 24 August 2012 Published: 19 November 2012
Abstract
Young international backpackers frequently have new sexual partners. We conducted a pilot project of unsupervised screening for chlamydia (Chlamydia trachomatis) and gonorrhoea (Neisseria gonorrhoeae) by self-collected specimens at two backpacker hostels in Manly, Sydney. The median age was 24 years for men and 23 years for women. A new sexual partner during travel was reported by 94%, of whom only 20% always using condoms. The prevalence of chlamydia was 11.9% (14.3% of 35 men and 10.2% of 49 women). No cases of gonorrhoea were detected. Half of the dispensed testing kits went missing or were tampered with, and there was spoilage of the receptacle bins, which persisted despite a redesign to a more secure and locked box. While populations such as young backpackers may be a priority group for sexually transmissible infection screening, we advise caution for projects contemplating an unsupervised model.
Additional keywords: prevalence, sexually transmitted infections, travel.
References
[1] Vivancos R, Abubakar I, Hunter PR. Foreign travel associated with increased sexual risk-taking, alcohol and drug use among UK university students: a cohort study. Int J STD AIDS 2010; 21 46–51.| Foreign travel associated with increased sexual risk-taking, alcohol and drug use among UK university students: a cohort study.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 1:STN:280:DC%2BD1MfjvVKnsA%3D%3D&md5=9c37c36ce8266523a15df0bca7a9e133CAS | 19933205PubMed |
[2] Hughes K, Downing J, Bellis MA, Dillon P, Copeland J. The sexual behaviour of British backpackers in Australia. Sex Transm Infect 2009; 85 477–82.
| The sexual behaviour of British backpackers in Australia.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 1:STN:280:DC%2BD1MnovFelsw%3D%3D&md5=a4c8002bcbe0e16c29f61761a55bc34fCAS | 19826066PubMed |
[3] Davies SC, Karagiannis T, Headon VM, Wiig R, Duffy J. Prevalence of genital chlamydial infection among young international backpackers in Sydney. Int J STD AIDS 2011; 22 160–4.
| Prevalence of genital chlamydial infection among young international backpackers in Sydney.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 1:STN:280:DC%2BC3MvgvFaqsg%3D%3D&md5=ae57ba2387051653354e34dd83c76afeCAS | 21464454PubMed |
[4] McNulty AM, Egan C, Wand H, Donovan B. The behaviour and sexual health of young international travellers (backpackers) in Australia. Sex Transm Infect 2010; 86 247–50.
| The behaviour and sexual health of young international travellers (backpackers) in Australia.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 1:STN:280:DC%2BC3czpsV2gtw%3D%3D&md5=f9dc94611c1c7f0f0145fd6eb2584398CAS | 20237395PubMed |
[5] Agreda P, Quinn NE, Barnes M, Jett-Goheen M, Gaydos CA. Comparison of self-obtained penile swabs vs. urine in the detection of C. trachomatis, N. gonorrhoeae, and T. vaginalis. National STD Prevention Conference, March 2010, Atlanta, GA.
[6] The Kirby Institute. HIV, viral hepatitis and sexually transmitted infections in Australia: annual surveillance report 2011. Sydney: The Kirby Institute, UNSW; 2011.
