Guidance

Sexually transmitted infections reference laboratory (STIRL): Clinical reference and surveillance services

STIRL provides specialist and reference services to detect, investigate and characterise clinically important STI pathogens.

The sexually transmitted infections reference laboratory (STIRL) provides specialist and reference services to detect, investigate and characterise clinically important sexually transmitted infection (STI) pathogens. STIRL is part of UK Health Security Agency’s (UKHSAbacteriology  reference department (BRD).

STIRL Clinical services

STIRL provides national reference facilities for clinically important bacterial STI pathogens, including:

  • Neisseria gonorrhoeae
  • Mycoplasma genitalium
  • Treponema pallidum
  • Haemophilus ducreyi
  • Chlamydia trachomatis: specifically Lymphogranuloma venereum (LGV) genovars

STIRL offers the following clinical services:

  • molecular diagnostics services for LGV, Treponema pallidum and Haemophilus ducreyi
  • phenotypic identification and antibiotic susceptibility testing of Neisseria gonorrhoeae isolates
  • molecular diagnostics and detection of macrolide and fluroquinolone antimicrobial resistance markers for Mycoplasma genitalium
  • evaluation of new phenotypic and genotypic methods for investigating antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in bacterial STIs
  • molecular characterisation of strains to inform surveillance, aid outbreak investigations, identify suspect treatment failures and define diagnostic escape variants.
  • provision of diagnostic, scientific and clinical guidance, and advice

Surveillance Services

STIRL is responsible for the delivery of 2 sentinel surveillance programmes, they are:

  • Gonococcal resistance to antimicrobials surveillance programme​ (GRASP)
  • Mycoplasma genitalium antimicrobial resistance surveillance (MARS)

New antibiotics and diagnostics

STIRL liaises with pharmaceutical and diagnostics companies to test new antibiotics and new assays, respectively. We have a large collection of representative and unusually resistant isolates that can be used for evaluations. All work is undertaken as contracted research.

Additional information regarding STIRLs service provision, specimen acceptance criteria and turnaround times can be found in the BRD user manual.

STIRL Guidance, Information and Documents

Contact:

Sexually Transmitted Infections Reference Laboratory (STIRL)

STIRL: UK Health Security Agency
61 Colindale Avenue
London
NW9 5EQ

Email stilab@UKHSA.gov.uk

Telephone 020 8327 7887

DX address: UKHSA Colindale BRD, DX 6530002

South-West Regional Laboratory at Bristol

The South-West Regional Laboratory at Bristol provides syphilis serology confirmation services and additional information can be found within the laboratory user manual.

Updates to this page

Published 27 September 2024

Sign up for emails or print this page