Abstract
Summary: The management of cases of Chlamydia trachomatis genital infection diagnosed in clinics in Wessex in the last quarter of 1996 was surveyed, and the results compared with those obtained in the national gonorrhoea audit. Treatment regimens were extremely varied both between and within clinics. Overall, 71% of patients saw a health adviser, 74% returned for follow-up, and 96% of these were cured. Compared with the national gonorrhoea audit, fewer contacts were reported (1.2 vs 1.5), but more contacts were seen per index case (0.7 vs 0.5), and a higher proportion of contacts were seen (59% vs 33%). The figures were higher in those who returned for a test of cure. Little data were available for contacts attending elsewhere for treament; communication networks among genitourinary medicine (GUM) clinics are essential for effective contact tracing. Variations between clinics may reflect differences between the populations served as well as in diagnostic methods and management policies.
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