Yearly Chlamydia Screening May Be Ineffective for Some

Once-a-year screening for chlamydia isn't likely to protect women from developing pelvic inflammatory disease, researchers say.

A new study has found that most cases of pelvic inflammatory disease occur in women who didn't have chlamydia infection when they were screened, which suggests they may have become infected later.

Chlamydia Often Overlooked in Young Men

Urologists in Great Britain often fail to detect cases of chlamydia in young men who see them for a related condition, British researchers contend.

They say that many urologists are ignoring guidelines on how to deal with a condition known as epididymo-orchitis, which causes inflammation of the testicle and the epididymis, the tube that passes sperm from the testicle to the vas deferens.

Study: Majority of women would prefer at-home testing for chlamydia

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, there are more than 15 million cases of sexually transmitted diseases reported each year in the U.S. However, the CDC also estimates that more than 19 million new infections occur each year, meaning too few people are being tested and treated for newly acquired STDs.

The most commonly sexually transmitted disease is chlamydia, which is characterized by a burning sensation during urination and significant pain during intercourse. As many as one in three people afflicted with the condition exhibit no real symptoms, making the spread of the disease even more likely.