title: Food for thought in women's health. The gynecologist: the new European gatekeeper in Chlamydia trachomatis infection.
abstract: Genital Chlamydia trachomatis infection is the principal cause of bacterial sexually transmitted disease in industrialized countries. A wide spectrum of pathologic conditions has been associated with the disease ranging from urethritis, cervicitis, to pelvic inflammatory disease, ectopic pregnancy, tubal infertility and cervical neoplasia. Screening for genital Chlamydia infection may prevent its serious complications. The need of a comprehensive European screening policy has been recently underlined by PACMeR's scientific committee. Anyhow invitational screening programs are only at the beginning. Chlamydia trachomatis control ''orphan'' and women's health at risk. Until organized programs are developed, implementation of opportunistic screening is mandatory. Since the infection is more commonly observed among juvenile females proper testing of the young women is recommended. As asymptomatic young women in reproductive age are more eager to visit gynaecologists for periodical gynaecological examination and councelling (cervical cytology, breast examination, contraception and family planning), gynaecologist represents the only specialist able to provide early diagnosis of Chlamydia trachomatis. Gynaecologists are called to play a new role in public healthcare, being ''gatekeepers'' for the early detection of the disease, emphasizing their crucial part in young women's health.
authors.affiliation: PanHellenic Association of Continual Medical Research, Section of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, 28 Karolou St, (Platia Metaxourgiou) 10438 Athens, Greece. n.polyzos@gmail.com
authors.forename: Nikolaos P
authors.initials: NP
authors.lastname: Polyzos
authors.forename: Angeliki
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Vittoraki
authors.forename: Maria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tsappi
authors.forename: Davide
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Mauri
authors.forename: Anastasia
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Spiliopoulou
authors.forename: Spyros
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Tzioras
authors.forename: Konstantinos
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kamposioras
authors.forename: Aliki
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ioakeimidou
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002690:Chlamydia Infections / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D002692:Chlamydia trachomatis; D005060:Europe / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D020793:Gatekeeping; D005831:Genital Diseases, Female / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D006176:Gynecology; D006284:Health Plan Implementation; D006801:Humans; D018580:Mandatory Testing; D010819:Physician's Role; D016387:Women's Health