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PILOT SUDY ORDERED ON CHLAMYDIA (ARTICLE)
The following article was taken from the journal:- Medical Laboratory World (MLW), June 1998 edition.


Chlamydia on the increase: Government figures show nearly 32,000 new cases of C. trachomatis were diagnosed in 1996 - an increase of 11% over the previous year.

Two pilot projects will start later this year to assess whether a screening programme for Chlamydia trachomatis would be an effective way of combating one of the most common sexually transmitted diseases which can render women infertile.
The studies, which have been ordered by Public Health Minister Tessa Jowell, come as a result of a report on C. trachomatis conducted by an expert advisory group.

Announcing the decision, Ms Jowell said: "Chlamydia is the most common, curable, sexually transmitted infection in the UK. But most people have not heard of it and are consequently unaware of the health risks it poses. Up to 70% of infections in women and 50% in men are not accompanied by obvious symptoms, so a large number of cases are never diagnosed."

She went on to stress that although Chlamydial infection did not present obvious immediate problems, it could have long-term consequences, especially in women as a cause of pelvic inflammatory disease which can lead to infertility, ectopic pregnancy and chronic pain.

Ms Jowell pinpointed two key messages which were stressed in advisory group report:

  • professional and public education campaigns were vital to increase awareness of Chlamydia and its long-term consequences; and,
  • opportunistic screening of asymptomatic, sexually active young women could be an effective alternative to a register-based call/recall system.

Target populations which the report suggested could benefit from screening were asymptomatic sexually active women under 25, and asymptomatic women over 25 who have had a new sexual partner or have had two or more partners in a year.





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