Preparing for the Chlamydia and Gonorrhea Self-Test.

ABSTRACT

New technology may soon allow individuals to test themselves for chlamydia and gonorrhea. These new self-tests might help increase screening, but they will also bring new issues for treatment, prevention, and surveillance. Providers will need to decide how to respond to patients who present after a positive screening test and how to approach partner testing and treatment. Research will be needed to identify approaches to increase screening using these tests. Laboratory-based surveillance will not capture infections if testing does not involve a laboratory, so new surveillance techniques will be needed. Self-tests are new tools that will soon be available. We should be prepared to use them.