1538. Pilot Study of Self-collected Pharyngeal Testing for Chlamydia and Gonorrhea in the Setting of COVID19 Restrictions

Abstract Background Given that many youth and young adults utilize multiple orifices during sexual activity, testing for STIs from multiple anatomical sites can increase rates of diagnosis. However, during the COVID pandemic, obtaining oral swabs by clinical staff was deemed an unacceptable COVID transmission risk and was discontinued in our clinic. To circumvent this obstacle to diagnosis, clinic staff developed a workaround of obtaining patient collected pharyngeal swabs for STI testing. This abstract reviews the results of this pilot intervention. Methods Patients presenting to an urban youth family planning/STI clinic who desired STI testing and ever engaged in oral sex were offered pharyngeal testing for chlamydia (CT) and gonorrhea (GC). Patients were instructed on how to obtain an oral sample, and subsequently sent outside of the clinic to obtain their individual sample. Chart review was conducted by clinic staff of a two month period during which this protocol was in place, and the following variables were collected: gender, sexual orientation, race/ethnicity, and STD testing results by anatomic site. Simple descriptive statistical analysis were used. Results 146 patients received a GC/CT test from > 1 anatomical site, with 34 patients having > 1 positive result. All pharyngeal samples were self-collected. Four patients were positive for GC/CT from throat samples only (12% of positive tests). All were biologically female, including one transgender FTM. Sexual orientation was split evenly between bisexual and heterosexual. Reported race/ethnicity included two African-American, one white, and one “Filipino”. For comparison, of the overall subsample of patients with positive GC/CT results, patients identified as 53% female, 44% male, and 3% FTM; 74% “straight”, 15% bisexual, 9% “gay”, and 3% did not disclose; 29% white, 50% African-American, 21% unknown as other; and 11% Hispanic. Twelve patients were positive for GC/CT from the throat and either rectum and/or urine/vagina/endocervix (35% of positive tests). Conclusion Our experience demonstrates that obstacles created by the COVID crisis can be circumvented with creative strategies. We were able to pick up 12% and 35% of total infections by self-collected pharyngeal swabs in throat only and throat plus other sites, respectively. Disclosures All Authors: No reported disclosures