Partner notification and treatment in urethritis

Partner notification and treatment (1,2)

• patients should be advised about notifying partners to attend genitourinary clinics or a GP
• in UK, partner notification and treatment is usually done by specialist health advisers in genitourinary medicine clinics (3)
• according to evidence obtained from chlamydia screening studies project, partner notification can be carried out efficiently in primary care by trained practice nurses with telephone follow up by health advisers
• all at-risk sexual partners of men with urethritis should be evaluated and offered treatment
• the "look back" time is arbitrary:
  • Gonorrhoea
    • with symptoms - all sexual partners in previous 2 weeks
    • no symptoms - all sexual partners in previous 3 months
  • Chlamydia
    • with symptoms - all sexual partners in previous 4 weeks
    • without symptoms - all sexual partners in previous 6 months
  • non Chlamydia or non Gonorrhoea
    • with symptoms - all sexual partners in previous 4 weeks
    • without symptoms - all sexual partners in previous 6 months
• female partners of patients with Chlamydia urethritis should be treated for suspected chlamydial infection pending the results

Reference:

1. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Sexually transmitted infections treatment guidelines, 2021. Jul 2021 [internet publication].
2. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Sexually transmitted diseases: expedited partner therapy. April 2021 [internet publication].
3. British Association for Sexual Health and HIV. 2015 UK National Guideline on the Management of Nongonococcal Urethritis