Quick reference guides

• Antibiotic guidance and references
• Chlamydia
• Fungal skin and nail infections
• Infectious diarrhoea
• Heliobacter pylori
• PVL-Staphlococcus aureus
• Meticillin Resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA)
• UTI (Urinary Tract Infection)
• Vaginal Discharge
• Venous Leg Ulcers: Infection Diagnosis & Microbiology Investigation

The aims, implications, production details, and advice about adaptation on these guidelines are available at the bottom of the page.

Antibiotic Guidance and References
Extensively reviewed March-July 2010 with minor amendments to otitis media and pneumonia June 2011; C. difficile and PID August 2011; Influenza and UTI October 2011; COPD references January 2012. Next full review due January 2013.

Management of infection guidance for primary care for consultation & local adaptation (Word Document, 1.6 MB)

Management of infection guidance for primary care for consultation & local adaptation (PDF, 640 KB)

Chlamydia
Guidance first published 2002.
Latest reviewed: June 2011 following publication of the updated BASHH guidelines.

Chlamydia diagnosis Quick Reference Guide (Word Document, 222 KB)
Revised June 2011. Next review: May 2013

Chlamydia diagnosis Quick Reference Guide (PDF, 190 KB)
Revised June 2011. Next review: May 2013

The Chlamydia Problem – Increasing Awareness
Last reviewed: 9 February 2005

Chlamydia Workshop: The Chlamydia Problem - Increasing Awareness (PowerPoint Presentation, 438 KB)

Fungal Skin & Nail Infections 
Guidance first published 21 April 2009
Reviewed June 2011 – no changes made

Fungal Skin & Nail Infections - Diagnosis & Laboratory Investigation (Word Document, 212 KB)

Fungal Skin & Nail Infections - Diagnosis & Laboratory Investigation (PDF, 152 KB)

Infectious Diarrhoea
The guidance was updated in July 2010 following the Griffin Report into the investigation of an outbreak of Escherichia coli O157.

Infectious Diarrhoea - The Role of Microbiological Examination of Faeces (Word Document, 444 KB)

Infectious Diarrhoea - The Role of Microbiological Examination of Faeces (PDF, 169 KB)

Helicobacter Pylori
Last reviewed: 4 September 2008

Diagnosis of Helicobacter pylori Quick Reference Guide for Primary Care (Word Document, 160 KB)

Diagnosis of Helicobacter pylori Quick Reference Guide for Primary Care (PDF, 80 KB)

Helicobacter business case
Last reviewed: 15 May 2007

Test and Treat Helicobacter Management of Dyspepsia (PDF, 57 KB)

PVL-Staphylococcus aureus infections 
New guidance - first posted 18 May 2009
Last reviewed: 18 May 2009

PVL-Staphylococcus Aureus infections - Quick Reference Guide for Primary Care (Word Document, 190 KB)

PVL-Staphylococcus Aureus infections - Quick Reference Guide for Primary Care (PDF, 119 KB)

Meticillin Resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA)
Last reviewed October 2009

MRSA Screening and Suppression - Quick Reference Guide for Primary Care (Word Document, 165 KB)

MRSA Screening and Suppression - Quick Reference Guide for Primary Care (PDF, 127 KB)

UTI (Urinary Tract Infection)
Reviewed and updated April 2011

Diagnosis of UTI - Quick Reference Guide for Primary Care (Word Document, 1.3 MB)

Diagnosis of UTI - Quick Reference Guide for Primary Care (PDF, 279 KB)

Vaginal Discharge
Reviewed and updated July 2011

Vaginal Discharge Vaginitis - Quick Reference Guide (Word Document, 190 KB)

Vaginal Discharge Vaginitis - Quick Reference Guide (PDF, 154 KB)

Venous Leg Ulcers: Infection Diagnosis & Microbiology Investigation
Last reviewed: 2 February 2009

Venous Leg Ulcers: Infection Diagnosis & Microbiology Investigation - Quick Reference Guide (Word Document, 152 KB) 

Venous Leg Ulcers: Infection Diagnosis & Microbiology Investigation - Quick Reference Guide (PDF, 104 KB) 

 Aim:

• To improve the diagnosis of infectious disease in primary care
• To improve use of the microbiology laboratory in primary care
• To target the use of antibiotics and antifungals in primary care

Implication:

• The guidance should lead to more appropriate antibiotic use.
• Use of this guidance may increase or decrease laboratory workload.
• Change in laboratory workload may have financial implications for laboratories and primary care commissioners.

Production:

• The templates have been produced in consultation with GPs and specialists in the field.
• They are in agreement with other guidance, including CKS, SIGN and NICE .
• The guidance is fully referenced and graded.
• The guidance is not all-encompassing, as it is meant to be ‘quick reference’.
• If more detail is required we suggest referral to the websites and references quoted.
• The guidance is updated every two years; or more frequently if there are significant developments in the field.

Local adaptation:

• We would discourage major changes to the guidance but the Word format allows minor changes to suit local service delivery and sampling protocols.
• To create ownership agreement on the guidance locally, dissemination should be taken forward in close collaboration between primary care clinicians, laboratories and secondary care providers.