Partner management for sexually transmissible infections: better options and guidelines please

A cornerstone in the control of sexually transmissible infection (STIs) includes the testing and treatment of sexual partners of patients diagnosed with treatable STIs – widely referred to as partner notification or contact tracing. At its most basic level, partner notification simply involves a clinician discussing with a patient the need for partners to be tested and treated appropriately. Testing of sexual partners of individuals diagnosed with STIs generally yields a higher rate of STIs compared with individuals unselectively screened for STIs, warranting efforts supporting partner notification. Furthermore, treatment of partners reduces the likelihood of index patients being re-infected and most likely further transmission and complications from untreated infection.1,2 Partners who are made aware of their situation are also given the opportunity to seek information and counselling and to adopt preventativ