Partner notification outcomes after integration of an on-site disease intervention specialist at a sexually transmitted disease clinic.

BACKGROUND: Partner notification services (PNS) are highly effective in reducing transmission of sexually transmitted diseases (STDs). We assessed outcomes of PNS before and after integration of an on-site disease intervention specialist (DIS) at a publicly-funded STD clinic. METHODS: From August 2014 to December 2015, patients testing positive for infectious syphilis or gonorrhea at the Rhode Island STD Clinic were referred to on-site DIS for partner notification. Data on PNS outcomes were reviewed for eight months before integration of DIS at the clinic and compared to eight months after. RESULTS: Of the 145 index patients referred for PNS during the study period (n = 58 before DIS integration, n = 87 after), 86% were interviewed. DIS integration resulted in a significantly greater proportion of index patients interviewed overall (92% versus 76%, p<0.01), on the day of diagnosis (85% versus 61%; p<0.01), and in person at the STD clinic (64% versus 11%; p<0.01). However, there was no significant difference in number of sexual partners named or treated. CONCLUSIONS: Integrating DIS at a publicly-funded STD clinic resulted in a greater number of index cases interviewed, a greater number interviewed in person, and a greater number interviewed on the day of diagnosis. Challenges remain in identifying and engaging partners for treatment.

Transcriptomic Analysis of Octanoic Acid Response in Drosophila sechellia Using RNA-Sequencing.

The dietary specialist fruit fly Drosophila sechellia has evolved to specialize on the toxic fruit of its host plant Morinda citrifolia Toxicity of Morinda fruit is primarily due to high levels of octanoic acid (OA). Using RNA interference (RNAi), prior work found that knockdown of Osiris family genes Osiris 6 (Osi6), Osi7, and Osi8 led to increased susceptibility to OA in adult D. melanogaster flies, likely representing genes underlying a Quantitative Trait Locus (QTL) for OA resistance in D. sechellia While genes in this major effect locus are beginning to be revealed, prior work has shown at least five regions of the genome contribute to OA resistance. Here, we identify new candidate OA resistance genes by performing differential gene expression analysis using RNA-sequencing (RNA-seq) on control and OA-exposed D. sechellia flies. We found 104 significantly differentially expressed genes with annotated orthologs in D. melanogaster, including six Osiris gene family members, consistent with previous functional studies and gene expression analyses. Gene ontology (GO) term enrichment showed significant enrichment for cuticle development in upregulated genes and significant enrichment of immune and defense responses in downregulated genes, suggesting important aspects of the physiology of D. sechellia that may play a role in OA resistance. In addition, we identified five candidate OA resistance genes that potentially underlie QTL peaks outside of the major effect region, representing promising new candidate genes for future functional studies.