Chlamydia and gonorrhea are among the most common sexually transmitted infections in the US.
Approximately 1.8 million cases of chlamydia and more than 600,000 cases of gonorrhea or reported to the CDC in 2019.
The rate of chlamydia Infection
among women is nearly double the rate among men.
Gonorrhea infection is more prevalent in men than women.
Infection rates of chlamydia and gonorrhea are highest and among adolescents and young adults of both sexes.
Chlamydia and gonococcal infections in women are usually asymptomatic.
Chlamydia and gonococcal infections in women can lead to pelvic inflammatory disease and associated complications including ectopic pregnancy, infertility, and chronic pelvic pain.
Newborns have pregnant patients with untreated infection may develop neonatal chlamydia pneumonia or gonococcal or chlamydial ophthalmia.
Men with chlamydia or gonococcal, infections may be asymptomatic but may lead to urethritis and epididymitis.
Gonorrhea in a man is more likely than chlamydia to cause symptoms.
Chlamydia and gonorrhea infections can increase risk of acquiring or transmitting HIV.
The USPSTF recommends screening for chlamydia in all sexually active women 24 years or younger and then women 25 years older who are at increased risk for infection.
The USPSTF recommends screening for gonorrhea and all sexually active women 24 years younger and then women 25 years or older who were eight increased risk for infection.
The USPSTF concludes that the current evidence is insufficient to assess the balance of benefits and harms of screening for chlamydia and gonorrhea in men.
Data suggests that chlamydia screening can result in treatment may be associated with reduced incidence of adverse reproductive health outcomes.