{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,8,21]],"date-time":"2026-08-21T13:01:09Z","timestamp":1787317269076,"version":"build-2736575974"},"reference-count":17,"publisher":"BMJ","issue":"1","content-domain":{"domain":["bmj.com"],"crossmark-restriction":true},"short-container-title":["Sex Transm Infect"],"published-print":{"date-parts":[[2023,2]]},"abstract":"<jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Objectives<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>\n                      Nucleic acid amplification tests (NAATs) are highly sensitive for the detection of\n                      <jats:italic>Chlamydia trachomatis<\/jats:italic>\n                      (CT) and\n                      <jats:italic>Neisseria gonorrhoeae<\/jats:italic>\n                      (NG) DNA\/ribosomal RNA (rRNA). Previous studies have demonstrated contamination of surfaces in sexual health clinics (SHCs) with CT\/NG. False positive results can occur if patient samples are contaminated by environmental DNA\/rRNA. This can have a dramatic impact on patients\u2019 lives and relationships. Previous attempts to reduce contamination, through staff training alone, have been unsuccessful. We aimed to investigate environmental contamination levels in SHCs and to assess a two-armed intervention aimed at reducing surface contamination.\n                    <\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Methods<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>Questionnaires were sent to 10 SHCs. Six clinics, with differing characteristics, were selected to participate in sample collection. Each clinic followed standardised instructions to sample surfaces using a CT\/NG NAAT swab. Clinics were invited to introduce the two-armed intervention. The first arm was cleaning with a chlorine-based cleaning solution once daily. The second arm involved introducing clinic-specific changes to reduce contamination.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Results<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>7\/10 (70%) clinics completed the questionnaire. Overall, 88\/263 (33%) swabs were positive for CT\/NG. Clinics 1, 3 and 4 had high levels of contamination, with 28\/64 (44%), 17\/33 (52%) and 30\/52 (58%) swabs testing positive, respectively. Clinics 2 and 6 had lower levels of contamination, with 7\/46 (15%) and 6\/35 (17%), respectively. 0\/33 (0%) of swabs were positive at clinic 5 and this was the only clinic already using a chlorine-based solution to clean all surfaces and delivering twice-yearly clinic-specific infection control training. Following both intervention arms at clinic 1, 2\/50 (4%, p&lt;0.0001) swabs tested positive for CT\/NG. Clinic 4 introduced each arm separately. After the first intervention, 13\/52 (25%, p=0.003) swabs tested positive and following the second arm 4\/50 (8%, p&lt;0.0001) swabs were positive.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Conclusions<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>Environmental contamination is a concern in SHCs. We recommend that all SHCs monitor contamination levels and, if necessary, consider using chlorine-based cleaning products and introduce clinic-specific changes to address environmental contamination.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>","DOI":"10.1136\/sextrans-2021-055360","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2022,5,18]],"date-time":"2022-05-18T13:21:00Z","timestamp":1652880060000},"page":"35-40","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1136\/crossmarkpolicy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":3,"title":["Environmental contamination by\n                    <i>Chlamydia trachomatis<\/i>\n                    and\n                    <i>Neisseria gonorrhoeae<\/i>\n                    : is it time to change our infection control practices? Results of a regional study"],"prefix":"10.1136","volume":"99","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-2574-137X","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Sophie","family":"Ramsden","sequence":"first","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Katie","family":"Ovens","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"James","family":"Griffiths","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Peter","family":"Muir","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Ann","family":"Steele-Nicholson","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Paddy J","family":"Horner","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"239","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2022,5,18]]},"reference":[{"key":"2023101000001311000_99.1.35.1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1177\/0956462415615443"},{"key":"2023101000001311000_99.1.35.2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1177\/0956462419886775"},{"key":"2023101000001311000_99.1.35.3","unstructured":"Fifer H , Cole M , Folkhard K . Guidance for the detection of gonorrhoea in England. Public Health England, 2021. Available: https:\/\/assets.publishing.service.gov.uk\/government\/uploads\/system\/uploads\/attachment_data\/file\/769003\/170215_Gonorrhoea_testing_guidance_REVISED__2_.pdf [Accessed 12 Apr 2021]."},{"key":"2023101000001311000_99.1.35.4","unstructured":"Johnson R , Newhall W , Papp J . Screening tests to detect Chlamydia trachomatis and Neisseria gonorrhoeae infections. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2002. Available: https:\/\/www.cdc.gov\/mmwr\/preview\/mmwrhtml\/rr5115a1.htm [Accessed 12 Apr 2021]."},{"key":"2023101000001311000_99.1.35.5","first-page":"1","article-title":"UK standards for microbiology investigations: good practice when performing molecular amplification assays","volume":"5","year":"2018","journal-title":"Quality Guidance"},{"key":"2023101000001311000_99.1.35.6","unstructured":"United Kingdom Accreditation Service . Medical laboratories -Requirements for quality and competence ISO 15189. British Standards Institution, 2012. Available: https:\/\/www.ukas.com\/services\/accreditation-services\/medical-laboratory-accreditation-iso-15189\/ [Accessed 12 Apr 2021]."},{"key":"2023101000001311000_99.1.35.7","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1136\/sextrans-2012-050543"},{"key":"2023101000001311000_99.1.35.8","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1007\/s10096-004-1100-1"},{"key":"2023101000001311000_99.1.35.9","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1136\/sti.2007.027862"},{"key":"2023101000001311000_99.1.35.10","unstructured":"Hologic . Aptima Combo 2 assay. Hologic, 2016. Available: https:\/\/www.hologic.com\/sites\/default\/files\/package-insert\/502487-IFU-PI_001_01.pdf [Accessed 12 Apr 2021]."},{"key":"2023101000001311000_99.1.35.11","unstructured":"Roche Diagnostics . The lab\u2019s crucial role in CT\/NG screening and detection. Roche Diagnostics, 2018. Available: https:\/\/diagnostics.roche.com\/content\/dam\/diagnostics\/us\/en\/resource-center\/CT-NG-white-paper.pdf [Accessed 12 Apr 2021]."},{"key":"2023101000001311000_99.1.35.12","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Wallace H , Daley S , Loftus-Keeling M . Risk of chlamydia\/gonorrhoea NAAT contamination from clinical surfaces \u2013 need for patient and staff awareness in self-swabbing and pooling areas [abstract]. Sex Transm Infect 2017;93:A20.","DOI":"10.26226\/morressier.58ef94ddd462b80290b5060d"},{"key":"2023101000001311000_99.1.35.13","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Dam APV , Adams K , Linde I , et al . P5.078\u2005False-Positive Neisseria Gonorrhoeae Results in Urine Samples Using a Highly Sensitive NAAT Tests: The Sampling Site as a Source of Contamination? Sex Transm Infect 2013;89:A359 doi:10.1136\/sextrans-2013-051184.1122","DOI":"10.1136\/sextrans-2013-051184.1122"},{"key":"2023101000001311000_99.1.35.14","unstructured":"Dube G , Phattey J , Brown L . Contamination of chlamydia and gonorrhoea samples in the clinic [abstract]. HIV Med 2010;11:O42."},{"key":"2023101000001311000_99.1.35.15","unstructured":"Dube G , Lewis N , Carter C . Assessing the presence of gonorrhoea and chlamydia contamination on hands of National Health Service Staff.[abstract]. Int J STD AIDS 2013;24:42."},{"key":"2023101000001311000_99.1.35.16","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1136\/sextrans-2012-050667"},{"key":"2023101000001311000_99.1.35.17","unstructured":"World Health Organisation . Cleaning and disinfection of environmental surfaces in the context of COVID-19 Interim guidance. Geneva: Switzerland: World Health Organisation Headquarters, 2020."}],"container-title":["Sexually Transmitted Infections"],"original-title":[],"language":"en","link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/syndication.highwire.org\/content\/doi\/10.1136\/sextrans-2021-055360","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2023,10,10]],"date-time":"2023-10-10T03:03:08Z","timestamp":1696906988000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/sti.bmj.com\/lookup\/doi\/10.1136\/sextrans-2021-055360"}},"subtitle":[],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2022,5,18]]},"references-count":17,"journal-issue":{"issue":"1","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2023,1,17]]},"published-print":{"date-parts":[[2023,2]]}},"alternative-id":["10.1136\/sextrans-2021-055360"],"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1136\/sextrans-2021-055360","relation":{},"ISSN":["1368-4973","1472-3263"],"issn-type":[{"value":"1368-4973","type":"print"},{"value":"1472-3263","type":"electronic"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2022,5,18]]}}}