SBSTIRL provides these general services:

  • Clinical and technical advice
  • Assessment and development of new methodologies
  • Participation in national/international surveillance and quality assurance projects
  • Education, training, audit, and collaborative research
  • Maintenance of isolate and sample archive to facilitate research and service development

Testing services we are funded to provide:

  • Neisseria gonorrhoeae (GC)
    • Identification of 'problem' isolates
    • Antibiotic susceptibility testing (routinely azithromycin, cefixime, ceftriaxone, ciprofloxacin, penicillin, spectinomycin, tetracycline; other antibiotics may be available after discussion; EUCAST breakpoints are used)
  • LGV (lymphogranuloma venereum) detection by PCR
  • Mycoplasma genitalium characterisation of macrolide and fluoroquinolone resistance by Sanger sequencing

For further details of these tests please contact SBSTIRL.

 

We are NOT funded to provide:

  • GC NAAT/PCR confirmation testing
  • Mycoplasma genitalium detection by PCR (please contact your local microbiology or virology lab)
  • Syphilis testing (PCR, serology)
  • Trichomonas vaginalis PCR (please contact Diagnostic and Reference Parasitology Service)

 

Referred tests

Occasionally, specimens and isolated may be referred to UKHSA, Centre for Infections, Colindale, for further specialist testing unavailable in Scotland. All such referrals should be made through SBSTIRL in order to be funded by NSS.

 

Additional testing

Gonococcal isolates are stored indefinitely, and DNA extracts from clinical specimens are stored for at least one year. For retrospective testing or typing within these time-frames, please contact the laboratory.