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People treated for chlamydia should have regular check-ups1 November 2006 People treated for chlamydia infection or gonorrhoea should be re-tested for infection after three months, according to a study published in Annals of Internal Medicine. What did the study show?The study showed that people treated for chlamydia or gonorrhoea are sometimes infected again within months and will often have no symptoms. In the study, 26 percent of women and 15 percent of men had at least one new infection in the year following their treatment. People who had a new sexual partner or had more than one sexual partner were twice as likely to develop a new infection. Most participants had no symptoms and were unaware that they had an infection until they were told the test results. How was the study carried out?Researchers recruited 2,419 people (1,236 women and 1,183 men) who were attending one of three genitourinary medicine (GUM) clinics in the US. After their first visit, participants were asked to return to the clinic every three months over the next year. During each visit they were tested for infection and asked questions about symptoms, sexual activity and number of sexual partners since their last visit. What does the study recommend?The study highlights the benefits of re-testing. It shows that re-testing people treated for sexually transmitted infections (STI) can help pick up more cases of infection in those people most likely to have them. If people return to GUM clinics regularly there is more opportunity to give advice about prevention and encourage safer sex practices. Facts about chlamydiaChlamydia is currently the most common STI in young people in the UK. There were 109,832 new cases reported in 2005, a five percent increase from the previous year. Often the infection is left undiagnosed. It's common to have minor symptoms, or none at all with the infection. Around 70 percent of infected women and 50 percent of infected men can have no symptoms. Women may get lower abdominal pain, bleeding after intercourse or between periods, vaginal discharge or cystitis-type symptoms. Men may have a discharge from the penis, pain on passing urine or painful testicles. chlamydia infection can be treated with antibiotics. Untreated infection can lead to infertility in women. Facts about gonorrhoeaThere were 19,771 new cases reported in 2005, a 13 percent decrease from the previous year. Up to 50 percent of women have no symptoms. Some women may notice a yellow/green vaginal discharge, pain on passing urine, lower abdominal pain or, more rarely, bleeding between periods or heavier periods. Men tend to have a yellow/green discharge from the penis and pain on passing urine. Gonorrhoea can be treated with antibiotics. Prevention of STIsSimple measures can reduce the risk of catching STIs, such as using condoms for vaginal, anal and oral intercourse. Having fewer sexual partners can also help lower the overall risk. People who are at increased risk of catching an STI (for instance, people who change sexual partners frequently or have had unprotected sexual intercourse) should consider having a check-up every three months. Related links
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