Skip to main content
PMC home page
The British Journal of General Practice logoLink to The British Journal of General Practice
. 1990 Apr;40(333):142–145.

Should asymptomatic patients be tested for Chlamydia trachomatis in general practice?

H Buhaug 1, F E Skjeldestad 1, L E Halvorsen 1, A Dalen 1
PMCID: PMC1371240  PMID: 2115349

Abstract

Routine testing for Chlamydia trachomatis during gynaecological examinations has been suggested as a preventive measure against pelvic inflammatory disease and other health risks associated with chlamydial genital infections. This study examined the cost and effectiveness of routine testing for C trachomatis in general practice. An epidemiological model was used to predict how routine testing and treatment of positive cases would affect the future number of cases of pelvic inflammatory disease, infertility and ectopic pregnancy in a general practice population. The cost of routine test and treatment, and savings resulting from prevented future morbidity, were also estimated. For the population under study, a routine test for chlamydial infections in asymptomatic 18-24 year old women during gynaecological examinations was found to be cost effective but this was not the case for older women. At least two years should elapse between repeated tests.

Full text

PDF

Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

  1. Avonts D., Sercu M., Heyerick P., Vandermeeren I., Piot P. Sexually transmitted diseases and Chlamydia trachomatis in women consulting for contraception. J R Coll Gen Pract. 1989 Oct;39(327):418–420. [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  2. Bowie W. R., Manzon L. M., Borrie-Hume C. J., Fawcett A., Jones H. D. Efficacy of treatment regimens for lower urogenital Chlamydia trachomatis infection in women. Am J Obstet Gynecol. 1982 Jan 15;142(2):125–129. doi: 10.1016/s0002-9378(16)32325-0. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  3. Buhaug H., Skjeldestad F. E., Backe B., Dalen A. Cost effectiveness of testing for chlamydial infections in asymptomatic women. Med Care. 1989 Aug;27(8):833–841. doi: 10.1097/00005650-198908000-00007. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  4. Fox H. Chlamydial cervicitis: a research study from general practice. J R Coll Gen Pract. 1983 Nov;33(256):721–724. [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  5. Gjønnaess H., Dalaker K., Anestad G., Mårdh P. A., Kvile G., Bergan T. Pelvic inflammatory disease: etiologic studies with emphasis on chlamydial infection. Obstet Gynecol. 1982 May;59(5):550–555. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  6. Halvorsen L. E., Skjeldestad F. E., Mecsei R., Dalen A. Chlamydia trachomatis i prøver fra cervix uteri blant pasienter i allmennpraksis. Tidsskr Nor Laegeforen. 1988 Oct 30;108(30):2706–2708. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  7. Handsfield H. H., Jasman L. L., Roberts P. L., Hanson V. W., Kothenbeutel R. L., Stamm W. E. Criteria for selective screening for Chlamydia trachomatis infection in women attending family planning clinics. JAMA. 1986 Apr 4;255(13):1730–1734. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  8. Mårdh P. A., Ripa T., Svensson L., Weström L. Chilamydia trachomatis infection in patients with acute salpingitis. N Engl J Med. 1977 Jun 16;296(24):1377–1379. doi: 10.1056/NEJM197706162962403. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  9. Nettleman M. D., Jones R. B. Cost-effectiveness of screening women at moderate risk for genital infections caused by Chlamydia trachomatis. JAMA. 1988 Jul 8;260(2):207–213. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  10. Phillips R. S., Aronson M. D., Taylor W. C., Safran C. Should tests for Chlamydia trachomatis cervical infection be done during routine gynecologic visits? An analysis of the costs of alternative strategies. Ann Intern Med. 1987 Aug;107(2):188–194. doi: 10.7326/0003-4819-107-2-188. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  11. Rahm V. A., Gnarpe H., Rosén G. Chlamydia vanligt hos tonårsflickor som söker för preventivmedelsrådgivning. Lakartidningen. 1986 Feb 19;83(8):615–616. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  12. Schachter J., Stoner E., Moncada J. Screening for chlamydial infections in women attending family planning clinics. West J Med. 1983 Mar;138(3):375–379. [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  13. Skjeldestad F. E., Dalen A., Buhaug H., Bakketeig L. S. Chlamydia trachomatis. Screening av gravide kvinner. Tidsskr Nor Laegeforen. 1987 Sep 10;107(25):2129–2131. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  14. Svensson L., Mårdh P. A., Weström L. Infertility after acute salpingitis with special reference to Chlamydia trachomatis. Fertil Steril. 1983 Sep;40(3):322–329. doi: 10.1016/s0015-0282(16)47294-8. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  15. Thompson S. E., Washington A. E. Epidemiology of sexually transmitted Chlamydia trachomatis infections. Epidemiol Rev. 1983;5:96–123. doi: 10.1093/oxfordjournals.epirev.a036266. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  16. Washington A. E., Arno P. S., Brooks M. A. The economic cost of pelvic inflammatory disease. JAMA. 1986 Apr 4;255(13):1735–1738. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  17. Weström L. Incidence, prevalence, and trends of acute pelvic inflammatory disease and its consequences in industrialized countries. Am J Obstet Gynecol. 1980 Dec 1;138(7 Pt 2):880–892. doi: 10.1016/0002-9378(80)91077-7. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

Articles from The British Journal of General Practice are provided here courtesy of Royal College of General Practitioners

RESOURCES