Review article
Chlamydia Trachomatis Study Group (CTSG) and Problems Related to Chlamydial Genital Infections
Mihael Skerlev
; Medicinski fakultet Sveučilišta u Zagrebu
Ana Balažin
; Medicinski fakultet Sveučilišta u Zagrebu
Abstract
Chlamydia trachomatis is the most common causative agent of sexually transmitted infections of bacterial etiology, causing annually 92 million new infections worldwide. As far as Central and Eastern European ("CEE") countries are concerned, the epidemiological picture of chlamydial genital infections cannot be reliably estimated since there is no systematic registration, prevalence studies are sporadic and methodologically hardly comparable, and prevention programs focusing on asymptomatic population are scarce. The incidence of chlamydial genital infections in CEE is estimated to be 21 to 276 cases per 100,000 inhabitants. The public health importance
of chlamydial genital infections lies in the fact that their prevalence is the highest in young population, that they are mostly asymptomatic and that, if left untreated, they may later result in chronic pelvic inflammatory disease, sterility or ectopic pregnancy. Additionally, the costs of treatment of chlamydial infection complications have shown to be higher than those of treatment of all other sexually transmitted diseases, with the exception of HIV/AIDS. Today chlamydial infections are diagnosed by simple, reliable and non-invasive tests, and the therapy of choice is a single dose of 1 g azithromycin, which has
proven to be safe and effective, especially in acute infections. Azithromycin also proved to be the drug of choice in the treatment
of chronic infections, chlamydial prostatitis, and in the treatment of major complications, such as pelvic inflammatory disease. In order to contribute to raising the awareness and knowledge about chlamydial genital infections, PLIVA gathered 40 experts treating different aspects of chlamydial infections from CEE, Western Europe and the United States on the Brijuni Islands in 2002. They established a Chlamydia Trachomatis Study Group (CTSG), i.e. the group for research of C. trachomatis, which in the meantime grew into an international association of scientists.
Keywords
Chlamydia trachomatis; Chlamydia Trachomatis Study Group; incidence; treatment; azithromycin
Hrčak ID:
48233
URI
Publication date:
19.2.2009.
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