Young people urged to have chlamydia test after every new sexual partner

The research, which was conducted by St George University of London, followed 2,529 sexually active female students aged 16 to 27 in the capital over one year.
 
The findings suggest that a single screening over the 12 months failed to significantly reduce the occurrence of pelvic inflammatory disease (PID), an infection triggered by untreated chlamydia, which can cause infertility.
 
Lead researcher for the study Dr Pippa Oakeshott said: "Our findings suggest that to prevent one case of clinical PID over 12 months, it may be necessary to screen 147 women for chlamydia infection or to treat 13 women who are positive for chlamydia."
 
A total of 79 per cent of PID cases that occurred in the women who took part tested negative for chlamydia when they were initially screened, the study said. But for those who were treated for chlamydial infection, there was an 80 per cent reduction in the risk of PID.
 
Chlamydia is the most common sexually transmitted infection (STI) in the UK, Europe and North America. The infection often has no symptoms and without testing can remain undiagnosed, leading to serious complications such as PID.
 
The authors argue that frequent testing, particularly when a person is involved with a new sexual partner, could help reduce the risk of contracting PID, a recommendation that is outlined in the national screening programme.
 
Researchers are now calling on policy-makers to make efforts to publicise this advice. "Some women may be unaware of the recommendation to be retested every time they have a new sexual partner," added Oakeshott.
 
The research follows warnings from the Health Protection Agency last week about a threat to the treatment of the second most common STI, gonorrhoea. Experts said that growing resistance to antibiotics used to treat gonorrhoea could compromise successful treatment in the future.