Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Screening for Chlamydia and Gonorrhea in the United States.

This study assesses the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on testing for common sexually transmitted infections. Specifically, changes will be measured in testing and case detection for chlamydia and gonorrhea in patients aged 14-49 years during the COVID-19 pandemic.

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.amepre.2021.03.009

Commentary

This study analyzed testing and positivity rates for sexually transmitted infections in the United States from tests performed between January 2019 and June 2020.

Results show that testing for chlamydia and gonorrhea reached their lowest point in early April 2020, decreasing by 59% in female patients and 63% in male patients, and that the decrease in the number of tests was strongly associated with an increase in weekly positive rates for chlamydia ( R 2 =0.96) and gonorrhea ( R 2 =0.85). From March 2020 to June 2020, an expected 27,659 (26.4%) cases of chlamydia and 5,577 (16.5%) cases of gonorrhea may be missed.

This may be due to missed cases from the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on sexually transmitted disease services, and follow-up analysis is needed to assess the long-term impact of missed screening opportunities.These findings are described to serve as a warning of the potential sexual, and reproductive health consequences that might be expected from an overall decline in testing and potential missed cases.