Scientists want to control chlamydia in Portugal for “public health problem” | Health
A group of researchers from the Faculty of Medicine of the University of Porto (FMUP) defended this Thursday the creation of a screening program for chlamydia, one of the “most common” sexually transmitted infections and for which there is no vaccine available.
On the eve of World Sexual Health Day, which is celebrated on Sunday, Nuno Vale, professor at FMUP and researcher at the Center for Research in Health Technologies and Services (Cintesis), warns that, although chlamydia is an infection, it does not show symptoms in about 80% of cases, which increases the risk of transmission of the disease .
“In Portugal, there is still no program that takes place in other tests, contrary to what is led by the research group, the current group from Vale, there is still no study cable “Clamí, a health problem, challenges and opportunities”). published in cientific magazine Diagnosiswhich also has as authors Rafaela Rodrigues, also from FMUP and cyntesisas well as Carlos Sousa, from Unilabs.
In the study, the authors conclude that the health services themselves are not sensitized to this problem, resorting to alternative methods (such as cultures), with false waiting times and “low sensitivity which can result in many, underdiagnosis and lack of treatment.
This could be a “public health problem”, the researchers assume. Chlamydia, one caused by the bacteria Chlamydia trachomatisis treated with antibiotics.
When left untreated, this can result in serious sequelae in Organs reproductive organs. In women, the disease can cause chronic pain, pelvic inflammation and infertility. The disease is also associated with gynecological tumors (cervical cancer) and the transmission of pregnancy to the baby. In men, adds the FMUP, more serious consequences include diseases of the person and also infertility.
“In the absence of men, the solution must move from a vaccine for women and sexually active and asymptomatic. Instead of the traditional culture method, which is complex and can take several days, as nucleic acid amplification technologies are faster and more sensitive, detecting a bacterium in 98% of cases”, Nuno Vale gravity.
In recent countries implement multi-year national programs in several countries for chlamydia 25 years, advanced the researcher. Among the countries that have recently adopted this measure are Australia, the Netherlands and Sweden.
In addition to creating an education program, the group of researchers aims to study the prevalence and prevention of national chlamydia prevention campaigns as well as develop prevention and awareness programs on the need for risk factors. In 2020, the World Health Organization estimates that there were 129 million new infections.