Sexual Health | Bacterial STIs and related conditions | STIs in the pharynx and oral-genital STI transmission

STIs in the pharynx and oral-genital STI transmission
Session overview
Description
This session covers the specialist investigation and management of sexually-transmitted oral and pharyngeal infections. Pathogenesis and the oral transmission risks of key sexually transmitted infection (STI) pathogens are discussed.

Learning objectives
By the end of this session you will be able to:

• state the prevalence of selected STIs in the pharynx in different populations
• select appropriate laboratory tests for use at the pharyngeal site, demonstrating awareness of commensal organisms
• select appropriate antimicrobial therapy for pharyngeal STIs, understanding why this may differ from infection at other sites
• advise patients about risk of transmission of STIs by the oral-genital route

Prerequisites
Before commencing this session you should complete the sessions:

• Module 1/Examination of extra-genital sites (260-0011)
• Module 2/Nucleic acid amplification tests (260-0020)
• Module 2/Diagnosing gonorrhoea (260-0021)
• Module 2/Diagnosing chlamydia (260-0022)
• Module 2/Diagnosing syphilis (260-0023)

Select the hyperlinks below.

This session will look at how to recognise, test and treat infections that can be spread through oral sex. It is important to ask clients about oral sex during a sexual history as many do not class it as 'real sex' and may not report oral-sex partners.

STIs spread through oral sex
Why learn about the spread of STI through oral sex?

• Is oral sex safe?
• Pharyngeal STIs
• Source of infection