Notifiable STIs and partner notification

Under the South Australian Public Health Act 2011, medical practitioners and diagnostic laboratories are required to notify SA Health of cases (including deaths) suspected of having or diagnosed with specified infections or diseases. 

These infections or diseases are commonly referred to as 'notifiable conditions’.

Notifiable sexually transmitted infections include:

• chlamydia (routinely notifiable by medical practitioners only where a person is aged 16 years or younger)
• gonorrhoea
• HIV
• syphilis.

When patients are diagnosed with a treatable sexually transmitted infection it is vital that testing and treatment of their sexual partners is properly considered, discussed and supported.

Research shows that a substantial proportion of the partners of such patients will be infected but unaware of this, warranting efforts to ensure partner notification is facilitated and completed successfully.

Treatment of infected partners will help them avert complications and reduce the duration of infectiousness, potentially curbing further sexual transmission.

This is particularly important where HIV is concerned. Identification of new cases of HIV through partner notification means those individuals can commence antiretroviral therapy earlier, improving their prognosis and limiting further transmission of HIV.

Adelaide Sexual Health Centre staff are experts in partner notification and undertake this service for HIV and Syphilis on behalf of the Communicable Disease Control Branch of SA Health.

GPs should discuss partner notification with patients who have recently been diagnosed with gonorrhoea or chlamydia so that sexual partners from the last six months can get any necessary testing and treatment. The Australasian Contact Tracing Guidelines are a resource for medical professionals undertaking partner notification of gonorrhoea and chlamydia.

Web resources are also available for patients to inform partners anonymously.