title: Chlamydia trachomatis screening in young women.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  As the number of chlamydia screening programmes implemented worldwide increases, we summarize current understanding of the epidemiology, natural history, and management of chlamydia, focusing on screening in young women.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Chlamydia diagnoses continue to rise, with young women at high risk. Recently published trials show that the risk of serious reproductive health outcomes is lower than previously thought. They illustrate that significant barriers - both practical and cultural - remain to engaging young people and health professionals in routine testing for sexually transmitted infections. Chlamydia control efforts have driven innovative approaches to testing including new approaches to engaging young people in discussions of sexual health and screening accessed via the Internet.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Chlamydia is highly prevalent among young women and may cause serious reproductive sequelae. Gaps in our knowledge of the epidemiology, natural history and immunology of this organism continue to hamper efforts to control it. Sexual health promotion and screening of young people remain the mainstay of population control, although there is as yet no strong evidence of health screening benefits. Control efforts will require new strategies to engage young people and health professionals to normalize sexual health testing.
authors: English National Chlamydia Screening Programme, Health Protection Agency, Department Epidemiology and Public Health, UCL, Torrington Place, London, UK. paula_baraitser@mac.com
authors: Paula
authors: P
authors: Baraitser
authors: Sarah
authors: S
authors: Alexander
authors: Jessica
authors: J
authors: Sheringham
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D002690:Chlamydia Infections / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology*; D002692:Chlamydia trachomatis / Q000302:isolation & purification; D005260:Female; D014943:Global Health; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006293:Health Promotion; D006801:Humans; D007246:Infertility / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000382:microbiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D008403:Mass Screening; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors; D012725:Sexual Behavior / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D055815:Young Adult