STIQ Day: 14th January 2017
Sexually transmitted infections (STIs) present an increasing challenge to world public health, with more than 1 million infections identified every day. According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), 500 million new cases of curable sexually transmitted infections (including syphilis, gonorrhoea, chlamydia and trichomoniasis) occur each year.
STIQ Day, which occurs every year on January 14th, has been launched to encourage people to be proactive about their sexual health in order to reduce their risk of infection. The fact that many infections do not show any obvious symptoms highlights how the availability of accurate information is crucial in order to effectively educate the population.
As stated, many infections are asymptomatic and can remain undiagnosed so carriers may feel completely healthy. This increases the risk of an unhindered spread in the sexually active population. If left untreated, STIs can impact fertility, increase the risk of ectopic pregnancies and infant mortality. It is therefore vital that, to avoid preventable health complications, rapid and accurate STI diagnostic tests are available to improve health, while also reducing the burden on healthcare systems.
This has led to Randox Biosciences developing a multiplex PCR based test to provide a rapid, efficient and reliable clinical solution to STI detection.
STI Multiplex Array
Our STI Multiplex Array has been developed by our dedicated molecular research scientists utilising our proprietary Biochip Array Technology. The test detects 10 of the most common bacterial, viral and protozoan infections including primary, secondary and asymptomatic co-infections, resulting in a complete infection profile for rapid, accurate diagnosis.
The fact that our test not only detects if an infection is present but also clearly identifies the type of infection, holds a strong connection with the appropriate use of antibiotics, ensuring they are only prescribed when required and subsequently, reducing the onset of antibiotic resistance.
Antibiotic resistance is the largest danger to the control and management of infections, posing a major threat to health worldwide. The World Health Organisation (WHO) has stated that unless urgent action is taken, therapeutic options for the treatment of infections will no longer be effective.
A report released by WHO, has stated how common STIs such as chlamydia, gonorrhoea and syphilis are becoming more difficult to treat as the standard antibiotics are now ineffective due to both misuse and overuse. This is a major concern considering each year, 131 million people are infected with chlamydia, 78 million with gonorrhoea, and 5.6 million with syphilis.
Ian Askew, Director of Reproductive Health and Research at WHO, commented on the new guidelines stating how they “reinforce the need to treat STIs with the right antibiotic, at the right dose, and the right time to reduce their spread and improve sexual and reproductive health.”1
This is exactly what Randox Biosciences are committed to achieving and are dedicated to continuing in order to combat the global issue of antibiotic resistance and as a result, improve health worldwide.
Dr. Scott McKeown, Molecular Product Manager at Randox Biosciences, added;
With STIs on the rise globally, and the rate co-infections being realised, it is now vital that effective and accurate diagnostic tests are available. Utilising the multiplex power of Randox’s proprietary Biochip Array Technology, our STI 10-infection Multiplex Array has been developed to simultaneously detect the broadest range of the most common infections. Establishing the specific cause or causes of an infection enables tailored patient treatment whilst simultaneously reducing antibiotic misuse now representing a major concern in microbial resistance.”
Join the campaign with us on Twitter and LinkedIn, not forgetting to use the hashtag, #STIQDAY
Read more about STI Multiplex Array here or email us at info@randoxbiosciences.com to speak with our dedicated team.
1-World Health Organisation (WHO)