Skip Navigation
Menu
Editorials |1 September 1993

Toward Control of Sexually Transmitted Chlamydial Infections

Walter E. Stamm, MD

Article, Author, and Disclosure Information
Author, Article, and Disclosure Information
Copyright 2004 by the American College of Physicians
2004
  • Harborview Medical Center, Seattle, WA 98104. Requests for Reprints: Walter E. Stamm, MD, Department of Medicine, Harborview Medical Center, ZA-89, 325 9th Avenue, Seattle, WA 98104. Grant Support: In part by grant AI-33118 from the National Institutes of Health.
×
FULL TEXT
In 1985, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) published the first edition of guidelines for the prevention and control of Chlamydia trachomatis infections [1]. These guidelines outlined the high prevalence and enormous morbidity associated with chlamydial infection, delineated the specific syndromes in which chlamydia was a major etiologic agent, and recommended empiric treatment of these syndromes. Recently, the CDC published an updated set of guidelines for the prevention and control of Chlamydia trachomatis infections [2]. These 1993 guidelines advocate new approaches to prevention and control of chlamydial infection made possible by scientific advances of the last decade.
Among these advances is a clearer understanding of the high frequency of asymptomatic unrecognized infection, especially in adolescents and young adults [3]. Although the occurrence of asymptomatic chlamydial infections had long been known, the prevalence and epidemiologic significance of such infections was not fully appreciated because research studies initially placed emphasis on the symptomatic syndromes caused by chlamydia, including nongonococcal urethritis, epididymitis, mucopurulent cervicitis, the dysuria-pyuria syndrome, and pelvic inflammatory disease [4]. In actuality, most cervical infections in women can be regarded as asymptomatic, and, more importantly, upper genital tract infection in women may also be asymptomatic in many instances. Approximately 50% of women with infertility attributable to chlamydia-induced distal tubal scarring have no history of overt pelvic inflammatory disease [5]. In addition, asymptomatic chlamydial urethritis in young men appears to be an important and previously underemphasized reservoir of infections that may be transmitted to young...
FULL TEXT
PDF
Not Available
Citations
Citation

Stamm WE. Toward Control of Sexually Transmitted Chlamydial Infections. Ann Intern Med. 1993;119:432–434. doi: 10.7326/0003-4819-119-5-199309010-00017

Download citation file:

© 2019

×
Permissions

Published: Ann Intern Med. 1993;119(5):432-434.

DOI: 10.7326/0003-4819-119-5-199309010-00017

21 Citations

Related Articles
Screening for Chlamydia and Gonorrhea: U.S. Preventive Services Task Force Recommendation Statement
Annals of Internal Medicine; 161 (12): I-30
Screening for Chlamydia and Gonorrhea: U.S. Preventive Services Task Force Recommendation Statement
Annals of Internal Medicine; 161 (12): 902-910
Screening for Gonorrhea and Chlamydia: A Systematic Review for the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force
Annals of Internal Medicine; 161 (12): 884-893
Screening for Chlamydial Infection: U.S. Preventive Services Task Force Recommendation Statement
Annals of Internal Medicine; 147 (2): 128-134
View MoreView Less

Related Topics
Infectious Disease
Sexually Transmitted Infections

Infectious Disease, Sexually Transmitted Infections.

PubMed Articles
Screening is not associated with reduced incidence of gonorrhoea or chlamydia in men who have sex with men (MSM); an ecological study of 23 European countries.
F1000Res 2019;8():160.
View More

Results provided by: PubMed

CONTINUE WITH LIMITED ACCESS
Annals of Internal Medicine
To receive access to the full text of freely available articles, alerts, and more. You will be directed to acponline.org to complete your registration.
×
acp link acp
silverchair link silverchair

Copyright © 2019 American College of Physicians. All Rights Reserved.

Print ISSN: 0003-4819 | Online ISSN: 1539-3704

Privacy Policy

|

Conditions of Use

This site uses cookies. By continuing to use our website, you are agreeing to our privacy policy. | Accept
×

You need a subscription to this content to use this feature.

×
PDF Downloads Require Access to the Full Article.
Annals of Internal Medicine
To receive access to the full text of freely available articles, alerts, and more. You will be directed to acponline.org to complete your registration.
×
Access to this Free Content Requires Users to be Registered and Logged In. Please Choose One of the Following Options
Annals of Internal Medicine
To receive access to the full text of freely available articles, alerts, and more. You will be directed to acponline.org to complete your registration.
×