Katy Sinka
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View article: The waiting room: unmet sexual health service needs among men and gender-diverse individuals having sex with men in England, findings from an online, cross-sectional community survey in 2024
The waiting room: unmet sexual health service needs among men and gender-diverse individuals having sex with men in England, findings from an online, cross-sectional community survey in 2024 Open
Background Sexual health service (SHS) delivery in England has shifted substantially following a rapid expansion of online services during the COVID-19 pandemic. While digital provision may improve reach, there are limited data on the exte…
View article: Detection and characterisation of Xpert CT/NG assay Neisseria gonorrhoeae diagnostic escape mutants, England, June 2025
Detection and characterisation of Xpert CT/NG assay Neisseria gonorrhoeae diagnostic escape mutants, England, June 2025 Open
We report the timely detection of a strain of Neisseria gonorrhoeae which was confirmed as a diagnostic escape mutant on the Cepheid Xpert CT/NG assay in England in June 2025. The reason for assay failure was a likely recombination event w…
View article: ‘It does fill me with a bit of unease’: a qualitative study of the acceptability, facilitators and barriers to reducing the frequency of screening for asymptomatic sexually transmitted infections among gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men
‘It does fill me with a bit of unease’: a qualitative study of the acceptability, facilitators and barriers to reducing the frequency of screening for asymptomatic sexually transmitted infections among gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men Open
Objectives The study aimed to explore the acceptability of reducing the frequency of asymptomatic Chlamydia trachomatis (Ct) and Neisseria gonorrhoeae (Ng) screening among gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men (GBMSM)(Although…
View article: Epidemiologic and Genomic Investigation of Sexually Transmitted <i>Shigella sonnei</i>, England
Epidemiologic and Genomic Investigation of Sexually Transmitted <i>Shigella sonnei</i>, England Open
Shigellosis is a bacterial infection that causes enteric illness and can be sexually transmitted, particularly among gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men. Multiple extensively drug-resistant Shigella strains have been detecte…
View article: Enhancing surveillance of sexually transmitted infections in England with gender identity and behavioural data: the GUMCAD STI Surveillance System
Enhancing surveillance of sexually transmitted infections in England with gender identity and behavioural data: the GUMCAD STI Surveillance System Open
Background There has been an increasing trend in bacterial sexually transmitted infections (STIs) in England since the early 2000s. Since 2008, surveillance of STIs in England has been conducted using the Genitourinary Medicine Clinic Acti…
View article: Outbreak of sexually transmitted<i>S. sonnei bla</i><sub>CTX-M-15</sub>in England: an epidemiological and genomic investigation
Outbreak of sexually transmitted<i>S. sonnei bla</i><sub>CTX-M-15</sub>in England: an epidemiological and genomic investigation Open
The diarrhoeal disease, shigellosis, can be sustained as a sexually transmissible enteric illness among gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men (GBMSM). Multiple extensively drug-resistant strains of Shigella have been detected …
View article: Ceftriaxone-resistant <i>Neisseria gonorrhoeae</i> detected in England, 2015–24: an observational analysis
Ceftriaxone-resistant <i>Neisseria gonorrhoeae</i> detected in England, 2015–24: an observational analysis Open
Objectives Since June 2022, there has been a rise in the number of ceftriaxone-resistant Neisseria gonorrhoeae cases detected in England (n = 15), of which a third were XDR. We describe the demographic and clinical details of the recent ca…
View article: Mpox Epidemiology and Vaccine Effectiveness, England, 2023
Mpox Epidemiology and Vaccine Effectiveness, England, 2023 Open
Reported mpox cases in England continued at a low but steady frequency during 2023. Of 137 cases reported in 2023, approximately half were acquired overseas and half were in vaccinated persons. Estimated effectiveness of 2-dose vaccine was…
View article: Mpox vaccination uptake in a UK community sample of gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men (GBMSM) the year following the 2022 Clade IIb mpox outbreak
Mpox vaccination uptake in a UK community sample of gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men (GBMSM) the year following the 2022 Clade IIb mpox outbreak Open
Mpox is an infectious disease transmitted through close contact. It is caused by the monkeypox virus, which is endemic to some countries of West and Central Africa. A multi-country outbreak of mpox occurred in 2022, and the UK experienced …
View article: Ceftriaxone-resistant<i>Neisseria gonorrhoeae</i>detected in England, 2015 to 2024; an observational study
Ceftriaxone-resistant<i>Neisseria gonorrhoeae</i>detected in England, 2015 to 2024; an observational study Open
Background Since June 2022, there has been a rise in the number of ceftriaxone resistant Neisseria gonorrhoeae cases detected in England (n = 15), of which one third were extensively-drug resistant (XDR). We describe the demographic and cl…
View article: Investigating the cause of increased tetracycline-resistant <i>Neisseria gonorrhoeae</i> in England, 2016–20
Investigating the cause of increased tetracycline-resistant <i>Neisseria gonorrhoeae</i> in England, 2016–20 Open
Background Antimicrobial resistance in Neisseria gonorrhoeae is a global public health concern. Tetracycline resistance (TetR) increased from 39.4% to 75.2% between 2016 and 2021 in N. gonorrhoeae isolates collected through national survei…
View article: Experiences of mpox illness and case management among cis and trans gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men in England: a qualitative study
Experiences of mpox illness and case management among cis and trans gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men in England: a qualitative study Open
TCW, AJR, AS and FMB received support from the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) under its Programme Grants for Applied Research Programme (Ref: NIHR202038). CS and JS receive support from the National Institute for He…
View article: Post-peak mpox in England: epidemiology, reinfection, and vaccine effectiveness – data from 2023
Post-peak mpox in England: epidemiology, reinfection, and vaccine effectiveness – data from 2023 Open
England, like other countries that experienced a large outbreak of emergent mpox in 2022, continued to record cases during 2023 at a low but steady frequency. Comprehensive national surveillance shows that cases continue to occur primarily…
View article: Rebound of Gonorrhea after Lifting of COVID-19 Preventive Measures, England
Rebound of Gonorrhea after Lifting of COVID-19 Preventive Measures, England Open
After lifting of all COVID-19 preventive measures in England in July 2021, marked, widespread increases in gonorrhea diagnoses, but not testing numbers, were observed, particularly in persons 15-24 years of age. Continued close surveillanc…
View article: Trends in shigellosis notifications in England, January 2016 to March 2023
Trends in shigellosis notifications in England, January 2016 to March 2023 Open
We reviewed all diagnoses of Shigella species notified to the UK Health Security Agency from January 2016 to March 2023. An overall increase in notifications of shigellosis was seen between 2016 ( n = 415/quarter) and 2023 ( n = 1 029/quar…
View article: Post-COVID rebound of gonorrhoea in England
Post-COVID rebound of gonorrhoea in England Open
With the removal of all COVID-19 restrictions in July 2021, a marked increase in gonorrhoea diagnoses in England was observed. Investigations revealed increases have been widespread, particularly in young people aged 15-to-24 years. Testin…
View article: STI testing, diagnoses and online chlamydia self-sampling among young people during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic in England
STI testing, diagnoses and online chlamydia self-sampling among young people during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic in England Open
Purpose COVID-19 control measures reduced face-to-face appointments at sexual health services (SHSs). Remote access to SHSs through online self-sampling was increased. This analysis assesses how these changes affected service use and STI t…
View article: Trends in STI testing, diagnoses, and use of online chlamydia self-sampling services among young people during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic in England
Trends in STI testing, diagnoses, and use of online chlamydia self-sampling services among young people during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic in England Open
Purpose Measures to control COVID-19 reduced face-to-face appointments and walk-ins at sexual health services (SHSs). Remote access to SHSs through online self-sampling for STIs was increased. This analysis assesses how these changes affec…
View article: Emergence of extensively drug-resistant and multidrug-resistant Shigella flexneri serotype 2a associated with sexual transmission among gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men, in England: a descriptive epidemiological study
Emergence of extensively drug-resistant and multidrug-resistant Shigella flexneri serotype 2a associated with sexual transmission among gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men, in England: a descriptive epidemiological study Open
National Institute for Health and Care Research Health Protection Research Unit in Gastrointestinal Infections at the University of Liverpool in partnership with the UK Health Security Agency.
View article: Investigating the role of whole genome sequencing in syphilis epidemiology: an English case study
Investigating the role of whole genome sequencing in syphilis epidemiology: an English case study Open
Background Syphilis is a sexually transmitted bacterial infection caused by Treponema pallidum subspecies pallidum , with approximately 6.3 million annual cases globally. Over the last decade, syphilis rates have risen dramatically in many…
View article: Detection of 10 cases of ceftriaxone-resistant Neisseria gonorrhoeae in the United Kingdom, December 2021 to June 2022
Detection of 10 cases of ceftriaxone-resistant Neisseria gonorrhoeae in the United Kingdom, December 2021 to June 2022 Open
Between December 2021 and June 2022, 10 cases of ceftriaxone-resistant Neisseria gonorrhoeae (ST8123; n = 8) were detected in the United Kingdom, compared with nine cases during the previous 6 years. Most of these cases were associated wit…
View article: Antimicrobial-resistant gonorrhoea: the national public health response, England, 2013 to 2020
Antimicrobial-resistant gonorrhoea: the national public health response, England, 2013 to 2020 Open
Neisseria gonorrhoeae has developed resistance to all antimicrobials used to treat gonorrhoea, and the emergence of ceftriaxone-resistant strains threatens the last-line option for empirical treatment. The 2013 Gonococcal Resistance to Ant…
View article: Epidemiology of Early Monkeypox Virus Transmission in Sexual Networks of Gay and Bisexual Men, England, 2022
Epidemiology of Early Monkeypox Virus Transmission in Sexual Networks of Gay and Bisexual Men, England, 2022 Open
After community transmission of monkeypox virus was identified in Europe, interviews of 45 case-patients from England indicated transmission in international sexual networks of gay and bisexual men since April 2022. Interventions targeting…
View article: Outbreak of sexually transmitted, extensively drug-resistant Shigella sonnei in the UK, 2021–22: a descriptive epidemiological study
Outbreak of sexually transmitted, extensively drug-resistant Shigella sonnei in the UK, 2021–22: a descriptive epidemiological study Open
National Institute for Health Research Health Protection Research Unit in Gastrointestinal Infections at the University of Liverpool in partnership with the UK Health Security Agency.
View article: DNA methylation analysis of archival lymphoreticular tissues in Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease and the prevalence of vCJD infection in the UK
DNA methylation analysis of archival lymphoreticular tissues in Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease and the prevalence of vCJD infection in the UK Open
The exposure of the UK and other European populations to bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) prions caused human variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease (vCJD) and a prolonged public health crisis. Throughout, a key question has been the prev…