European Collaborative Clinical Group (ECCG)
The ECCG was formally inaugurated at the European IUSTI Executive Committee meeting at the 26th IUSTI Congress Riga, Latvia 2011. This network of STI specialists has come together to principally conduct questionnaire based research across the European Region. The group is modelled on established successful clinical networks within a few European countries which have conducted similar work.
The founding chair is, Dr Raj Patel and the group has a part time secretary and administrator,. Each country within the region has one nominated associate who has identified 3 to 5 other STI specialists within their country. This larger group makes up the panel for the questionnaire based research projects.
A central group of the ECCG has also been established who are responsible for identifying suitable survey questions that will be carried out but only after approval by the full ECCG Board. The ECCG aims to conduct a maximum of 2 projects per year which will be presented at the annual regional congress and published in its house journals. These projects are designed to identify practice in areas of controversy and to help the development of educational programs and guidelines.
The projects are supported by IUSTI Europe and the University of Southampton. An archive of the findings is maintained at the University and may be accessed through the ECCG chair.
Current ECCG members and core group
ECCG members
If you would like to become a member of the ECCG please contact Dr Raj Patel
2016 ECCG Report on the Management of Gonorrhoea
This study repeated some of the work of Brooks in 2012. In particular the study focused on first line antibiotic choice, co-therapies and the management of penicillin sensitivity. The results were presented at the IUSTI World meeting in Marrakech and again (in more detail) at the European IUSTI meeting in Budapest
2016 ECCG Report on the Management of Epididymo-orchitis
The results were presented at the IUSTI World Congress in Marrakech 2016. This study found considerable variation in first line antibiotic choice and the management of risk related to possible gonorrhoea infection. This is clearly an area of considerable controversy and the results have been fed into the 2017 European Guideline on the Management of Epididymo-orchitis
2015 ECCG Report On the Management of Pelvic Inflammatory Disease
This study has found areas of controversy surrounding; choice of antibiotic therapy, the routine testing and treatment for Mycoplasma genitalium if found, the management surrounding intrauterine devices (IUDs) in situ and management of PID after treatment failure. The ECCG advised that IUSTI should consider expanding and clarifying guidance on the above areas of controversy in its training programmes and next European guidelines. Sexually Transmitted Infections 05/2015; 91(Suppl 1):A57-A58. DOI:10.1136/sextrans-2015-052126.169
2015 ECCG Report On the Management of Partner Notification
Partner notification varies widely across Europe and is not always in line with current European guidelines. There is a need for on-going Europe wide education to ensure that PN occurs and is effective to avoid reinfection of the index case, and to prevent onwards transmission of STI’s, especially in an environment of rising STI rates and increased travel of people within Europe. Link
2014 ECCG Report on the Management of HSV in Pregnancy
This project was reported at the European IUSTI meeting in Malta. Its findings have led to the development of more detailed guidance on this area in the IUSTI HSV guideline and the inclusion of this subject in recent international meetings.
2014 ECCG Report on the Management of NSU/NGU
The results of this project were reported at the CDC/ IUSTI Meeting in 2014 and at the IUSTI Europe meeting in Malta 2014 Link
2013 ECCG Chlamydia Report
A report on the diagnosis and management of chlamydia infections in Europe was presented at the 2013 STD & AIDS World Congress. Link
2012 ECCG Gonorrhoea Report
The ECCG produced a report on the diagnosis and management of Neisseria gonorrhoeae infections in Europe [pdf], and was presented at the 27th IUSTI Europe congress in Antalya, Turkey and published in the Internal Journal of STD & AIDS. The paper is also available online with an online supplementary file containing the complete set of results http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23970741 and a summary of the report written by Prof. Magnus Unemo, World Health Organization Collaborating Centre for Gonorrhoea and Other Sexually Transmitted Infections has also been published http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23970742
2011 ECCG Report on the frequency of HIV and STI testing in MSM
This work was presented at the IUSTI Europe meeting in Riga,Latvia in 2012. Subsequently published Int J STD AIDS. 2014 Mar; 25(3): 213–218. Published online 2013 Aug 28. doi: 10.1177/0956462413497700