Advances in biomedical prevention call into question the role of social and behavioural science in sexually transmissible infection (STI) and HIV prevention. In this paper we present five individual- and population-level areas in which such expertise can be integrated with biomedical prevention. Committing expertise in these areas provides for the integrated approaches to prevention that best prevent STI and HIV.

Due to antimicrobial resistance, Mycoplasma genitalium can be one of the most complex sexually transmissible infections (STIs) to treat, and screening for this infection is not currently recommended in guidelines. We sought to determine the prevalence and rate of macrolide resistance of asymptomatic rectal M. genitalium in MSM and found close to 7% of men tested positive and, of these, 69% of isolates were macrolide resistant. As one of the largest studies in asymptomatic MSM, our findings will inform STI screening and treatment guidelines for this infection.

Gay and other men who have sex with men of Asian background (GAM) are emerging as a pivotal group in efforts to eradicate HIV in Australia. This survey of 604 GAM residing in Sydney and Melbourne identified a significant proportion of non-HIV-positive men who engaged with frequent HIV and comprehensive STI screening. We further demonstrated statistically significant differences in sexual practices between those who engaged with testing initiatives and those who did not. These findings have implications for HIV service design moving forward.

Current sexually transmissible infection (STI) prevention strategies are imperfect in the combat against increasing bacterial STI incidence among gay and bisexual men in Australia. This study examined perceptions regarding the use of antibiotic pre-exposure prophylaxis for bacterial STIs (STI-PrEP). Future implementation studies of STI-PrEP should monitor the concerns expressed by participants in this study to aid effective implementation.

This is the first systematic review and meta-analysis of key STI prevalence in Australian sex-on-premises venues (SOPVs). Men attending SOPVs are at high risk of sexually transmissible infections including HIV. Screening at SOPVs offers MSM access to testing and diagnosis. SOPVs are an important site for STI/HIV diagnosis.

In the current era of antimicrobial stewardship, the practice of empirically treating asymptomatic contacts of gonorrhoea needs review. We sought the views of clinicians in a range of settings on the relative importance of a range of factors that influence treatment decisions, including the likelihood of infection and complications, the risk of onward transmission and the impact on patients and clinics. Although the majority of participants currently provide empiric treatment, there was significant support for a change in guidelines.

Although studies seem to indicate that the prevalence of sexting has increased over time, there are no cohort studies that compare historic prevalence rates among similar groups of teenagers. Using data from a weighted sample of adolescents in Belgium, this study found that sexting prevalence increased between 2015 and 2017, even when accounting for smartphone ownership. The results suggest that factors outside of smartphone ownership may contribute to the increase in sexting behaviour and highlight the need for the development of age-appropriate sexting education.

There has been significant media attention on the harms associated with non-consensual sharing of sexually explicit imagery. We surveyed young Australians aged 15–29 years; 13% stated that someone else shared sexually explicit imagery of them without their consent. Most participants did not report this incident to services or police, highlighting the need for non-judgmental education that promotes legal rights and actions to take in adverse situations.

Initiating empirical antibiotic treatment for asymptomatic contacts of gonorrhoea, before the confirmation of positive results, is common practice. However, emerging global concerns of gonorrhoea antibiotic resistance throw the rationale for this practice into question. This retrospective study observed surprisingly low rates of gonorrhoea positivity at the Sydney Sexual Health Centre, and supports the move for guidelines to be changed.

Within the healthcare domain, commercial-sector terminology such as ‘client’, ‘customer’ and ‘user’ are replacing the previously acceptable collective noun, ‘patient’. Is the term we use important? We collected the responses of 581 individuals attending between August and October 2019. Overall, 372/496 (75%) unique responses reported a preference to ‘patient’, while 92/496 (19%) preferred ‘client’, 23/496 (5%) ‘customer’ and 9/496 (2%) ‘user’. In line with other published data, we acknowledge that people attending our service prefer to be referred to as ‘patient’ above all else.

Although antibiotics are commonly used in clinical practice, some side effects caused by the medication are not fully understood or documented. Persistent low potassium concentrations in the blood irresponsive to treatment was found in a patient after using piperacillin/tazobactam. Through this case report, we want to highlight that a more cautious approach should be considered when using this drug in clinical practice.

High rates of sexually transmissible infections (STIs) have persisted in remote central Australian Aboriginal communities for over two decades, and yet risk factors for these are not well understood. This qualitative study explored behavioural and contextual risk factors for STIs in young Aboriginal people in central Australia and identified a strong association between travel, alcohol and casual sex as potential risk factors. The study highlights the need for ongoing, enhanced strategies to improve STI control.