Sexually Transmitted Infections

In addition to diagnostic services for clinics with a high HIV/AIDS caseload, other clinics served include those providing health services for homeless youth and those in juvenile detention.

The detection of gonorrhoea infection is performed by either culture or PCR. The latter test is performed as a multiplex PCR (Roche Amplicor) for Neisseria gonorrhoeae, Chlamydia trachomatis and internal control. Testing is performed on a daily basis.

Presumptive N.gonorrhoeae positives from this assay must be retested in a confirmatory PCR assay that detects the cryptic plasmid of N.gonorrhoeae. Both assays are also performed on a referral basis for other laboratories.

Overall the laboratory accounts for more than a quarter of the diagnoses of N.gonorrhoeae in Victoria.