What is the role of a specialist sexual health (GUM) service and asymptomatic screening?

Specialist sexual health (genitourinary medicine, GUM) services provide confidential STI testing/treatment, partner notification, contraception, HIV care, and PrEP.

Asymptomatic screening is important because many STIs (e.g. chlamydia) are asymptomatic - so opportunistic screening (e.g. chlamydia screening in young people) and regular testing in those at risk detect and treat infection, reducing transmission and complications.

Clinical relevance. Knowing the role of sexual health services and asymptomatic screening (e.g. chlamydia) reflects how STIs are controlled at population level.

More Detail

Sexual health services and asymptomatic screening

Specialist services and screening are central to STI control.

Specialist sexual health (GUM) services

• Provide confidential, often open-access STI testing and treatment.
• Partner notification (contact tracing), contraception, HIV testing/care, PrEP/PEP, vaccination (e.g. HPV, hepatitis B), and health promotion.

Why asymptomatic screening matters

• Many STIs are asymptomatic - e.g. a large proportion of chlamydia (and some gonorrhoea) infections cause no symptoms, yet can be transmitted and cause complications (PID, infertility).
• So screening detects infection that would otherwise be missed.

Screening approaches

• Opportunistic chlamydia screening in young sexually active people.
• Regular testing for those at higher risk (e.g. new/multiple partners, men who have sex with men).
• Routine antenatal screening (HIV, syphilis, hepatitis B).

Benefit

• Detecting and treating asymptomatic infection reduces transmission and complications at population level.