A group of researchers from the Faculty of Medicine of the University of Porto (FMUP) defended this Thursday the creation of a chlamydia screening program, one of the “most common” sexually transmitted infections and for which there is no vaccine.
On the eve of World Sexual Health Day, which is celebrated this Sunday, FMUP professor and researcher at the Center for Research in Health Technologies and Services (CINTESIS) Nuno Vale warns that, although chlamydia is a common infection, shows no symptoms in about 80% of the cases, which increases the risk of transmission.
In Portugal, still there is no screening programContrary to what happens in other countries”, said Nuno Vale, who leads the group of researchers who carried out the study “Chlamydia trachomatis as a Current Health Problem: Challenges and Opportunities”. : Challenges and Opportunities”), published in the scientific journal Diagnostics.
The study concludes that the health services are not aware of this problemusing conventional methods (cultures), with waiting time and “low sensitivity”, which can result in many false negatives, underdiagnosis and lack of treatment.
At stake may be “a public health problem“, consider the researchers.
Chlamydia, an infection caused by the bacteria “Chlamydia trachomatis”, is cured with antibiotics.
According to the data sent to the Lusa agency by the FMUP, When left untreated, this infection can cause serious damage to the reproductive organs, even in women, in particular chronic pain, pelvic inflammatory disease, and infertility.
the disease too associated with gynecological tumors (cervical cancer) and pregnancy to baby transmission.
In man, adds the FMUP, the most serious consequences include prostate diseases and also infertility.
In the absence of a vaccine, the solution should be screened of sexually active and asymptomatic women and men. Instead of the traditional cultivation method, which is complex and can take several days, Nucleic acid amplification technologies are faster and more sensitive, detecting the bacteria in approximately 98% of cases.“, emphasizes Nuno Vale.
Also according to the information made available to Lusa, in recent years, several countries have implemented national screening programs for chlamydia infections in women up to 25 years of age.
Among the countries that have recently advanced with this measure are England, Australia, the Netherlands and Sweden.
In addition to creating a national screening program, the group of researchers aims to need to study the prevalence and incidence of chlamydial infection in Portugal, as well as develop prevention and awareness campaigns on risk factors.
In 2020, the World Health Organization estimated that 129 million new infections.
In addition to Nuno Vale, she is the author of this study rafaela rodriguesfrom both FMUP and CINTESIS, as well as Carlos Sousa, from Unilabs.
This work was supported by the Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT) and ERDF — European Regional Development Fund, through COMPETE 2020.
Source: Observadora
