Your Partner in Helping to Combat Rising Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR)

Inappropriate antibiotic use accelerates antimicrobial resistance (AMR), threatening the efficacy of critical drugs needed to treat infections like Neisseria gonorrhoeae (NG).¹

• Guidelines and standards for targeted therapy: The British Association for Sexual Health and HIV (BASHH) guidelines emphasise the necessity of an accurate diagnosis to guide treatment^.2,3

• The diagnostic challenge: Sexual Transmitted Infections (STIs) can have overlapping symptoms, or no symptoms at all.⁴ Accurate diagnosis is key to providing patients with the correct treatment. BASHH standards state that patient test results should be received within 8 days, with treatment started within three weeks and empiric treatment should only be considered in exceptional circumstances^2,3

• The rise in antimicrobial resistance: The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has listed the rising threat of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in STIs to be a particular concern, with Mycoplasma genitalium (MG) demonstrating AMR to both macrolide antibiotics and fluoroquinolone and Neisseria gonorrhoeae (NG) having developed resistance to every class of antibiotic used for treatment of the infection.^5,6,7

1. Test while they wait. Treat before they leave: 

The cobas® liat system provides lab-quality, polymerase chain reaction (PCR) results at the point of care, for common STIs such as Chlamydia trachomatis (CT), Neisseria gonorrhoeae (NG), and/or Mycoplasma genitalium (MG) within just 20 minutes.^8,9 Rapid, actionable results may help enable appropriate treatment for patients in a single appointment window, reducing the need for empirical prescribing, and directly supporting NHS priorities for reducing AMR.

2. Comprehensive Testing for Any Setting:

The cobas® 5800/6800/8800 systems offer a comprehensive testing menu, giving laboratories the versatility to handle asymptomatic screening, symptomatic diagnosis, and resistance surveillance. With a wide range of assays, including Chlamydia trachomatis (CT), Neisseria gonorrhoeae (NG), Trichomonas vaginalis (TV) and Mycoplasma genitalium (MG), and resistance markers for NG* and MG*, the cobas® 5800/6800/8800 systems help to provide scalability and flexibility in patient care.^10,11,12,13

3. Reduce AMR Risk with resistance testing:

Reduce unnecessary antibiotic prescribing with resistance assays for NG* and MG* positive cases, helping to ensure appropriate targeted treatment for symptomatic and at-risk patients.^12,13

4. Improve Operational Efficiency:

Help to support the high-demand for sexual health services by enabling a combination of near-patient testing for at-risk patients with the cobas® liat system and comprehensive, scalable and flexible testing on the  cobas® 5800/6800/8800 systems^.14,15,16,17

5. Enhanced Patient Outcomes

Early, precise interventions may help to reduce transmission, reinfection, and complications associated with untreated infections.^18,19

Together, let’s tackle antimicrobial resistance and ensure every patient receives the right test, at the right place, at the right time.

^{*Research use only.}