Chlamydia fortnight

14 February 2010

‘Chlamydia fortnight’ begins on Valentine’s day - A south west initiative to encourage young people to “say yes to the test”. This Valentine’s Day, the South West’s National Chlamydia Screening Programme (NCSP) will launch “Chlamydia fortnight” to encourage young people to talk about Chlamydia and say yes to the test.

GP surgeries, pharmacists and contraceptive services in the region will be offering every young person aged between 15 and 24 a Chlamydia test. This means, if you are a young person who visits a local service in the fortnight you may be offered a test.

Chlamydia is virtually symptomless and can be very serious if left untreated. In women this can lead to infertility and in men it can lead to uncomfortable conditions such as epididymitis which causes pain in one or both testicles.

The test for Chlamydia is easy, men can provide a urine sample and females can take a swab. Samples are then sent off to a laboratory and take around two weeks. If you are tested positive, antibiotics can be given to clear up the infection.

The picture in the south west reflects a national increase in rates of Chlamydia. In the UK, there has been a 60 percent increase in the number of Chlamydia cases from 2001 - 2008 and in the west there has been a 74 percent increase in Chlamydia cases from 2001 - 2008.

Dr Gabriel Scally, South West Regional Director of Public Health, said: "Most young people do not realise that chlamydia is a community problem and that they need to protect themselves by using a condom whenever they have sex. Due to the lack of symptoms, many people will not know they have caught the infection and so it remains untreated and continues to spread through people having unprotected sex.

"Getting tested is something every responsible, sexually active person should do to ensure that they not only protect themselves, but also their partner, they are simple and free to have done and vital in helping us to reverse the increasing problem we are facing with chlamydia here in the South West."

Dr Isabel Oliver, HPA South West, Regional Director, said: "Chlamydia is a growing problem in the region. Chlamydia fortnight is a really good opportunity for young people to talk about the infection in a familiar local service such as GP practice or pharmacy.

"Evidence from the NCSP tells us that approximately one in 14 young people under 25 years who is tested carry Chlamydia. I hope that this fortnight will make young people more aware of the infection and encourage them to accept a test. Chlamydia can be an invisible illness and is spread easily, if you are worried please go to your GP, pharmacy or local contraceptive service and ask for a test."

Notes to editors:
The National Chlamydia Screening Programme (NCSP) is a control and prevention programme targeted at the highest risk group for Chlamydia infection in England, young people under 25 who are sexually active.

Chlamydia is the most common bacterial sexually transmitted infection (STI) in the UK; affecting both men and women. Most people with Chlamydia have no symptoms, but left untreated, Chlamydia, can lead, in women, to infertility, ectopic pregnancy and chronic pelvic pain. In men it may cause urethritis and epidydimitis. In both sexes it can cause arthritis.

There is no evidence to suggest that Chlamydia causes cervical cancer.
Chlamydia figures for 2001 were 5113, figures for 2008 were 8899.

The south west comprises of Avon, Gloucestershire and Wiltshire, Dorset and Somerset and the south west peninsula. To find out more about sexual health, relationships, contraception and Chlamydia testing visit www.nhs.uk/worthtalkingabout

Join the Facebook page called 'Say yes to the test' we already have over 13,000 fans.

To find out more about the National Chlamydia Screening Programme visit http://www.chlamydiascreening.nhs.uk

 

Last reviewed: 11 March 2010