Washington, D.C. - The American College of Preventive
Medicine (ACPM) recommended today that all sexually active
women 25 years of age or younger as well as sexually
active women with other risk factors be screened annually
for chlamydia. Other risk factors include having a new
male sex partner or two or more partners during the
preceding year, inconsistent use of barrier contraception,
history of a prior sexually transmitted disease,
African-American race, and cervical ectopy.
According to Dr. Katerina Hollblad-Fadiman, the lead
author of ACPM’s recommendation, "While chlamydia
has become the nation’s most common bacterial sexually
transmitted disease, it can in fact be controlled by
aggressive public health efforts. Not only can effective
screening programs result in the diagnosis and treatment
of chlamydia in currently infected persons, but they can
greatly reduce transmission of the disease to unsuspecting
sexual partners."
Chlamydia affects more than 4 million Americans each
year. Seventy percent of all reported cases occur in women
under the age of 25. Widespread screening is necessary
since up to 70% of infected women and 75% of infected men
are asymptomatic. Once detected, treatment is effective
and simple.
Cervicitis is the most common reported manifestation of
chlamydial infection in women. Pelvic inflammatory disease
occurs in up to 30% of untreated women leading to possible
ectopic pregnancy and/or tubal infertility. Chlamydial
infection also increases the likelihood of both
transmitting and acquiring HIV infection.
According to Dr. Robert Harmon, President of ACPM,
"Sexually transmitted diseases are truly the nation’s
hidden epidemic. ACPM uses in-depth evidence reviews to
determine the most effective ways to prevent STDs and many
other preventable conditions."
ACPM’s practice policy statement on screening for Chlamydia
trachomatis appears in the April 2003 issue of the American
Journal of Preventive Medicine. The statement can be
viewed at
