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More Pacific countries to test for silent sexual infection
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Posted on Nov 27 2008
[B]NOUMEA, New Caledonia[/B]—Earlier this year, Cook Islands, Nauru and the Solomon Islands successfully piloted a new screening program for chlamydia. Now, eight more Pacific Island countries and territories—Tonga, Federated States of Micronesia, Marshall Islands, Fiji, Samoa, Kiribati, Vanuatu and Tuvalu—are beginning a program to screen for and treat the silent sexual infection chlamydia.
Chlamydia is a common sexually transmitted infection in the Pacific Islands region, particularly among young people. Up to 20 percent of people aged 15–30 may be infected, and recent surveys show that in some countries, chlamydia prevalence rates are higher than 29 percent among pregnant women.
“Chlamydia is transmitted through unprotected sex and can lead to infertility and infection of babies during delivery. Yet most people who test positive for chlamydia don’t have any signs or symptoms,” said Dr Anna McNulty, STI Advisor for the Secretariat of the Pacific Community.
The pilot screening programs in the Cook Islands, Solomons and Nauru included testing for another STI, gonorrhea, and received technical support from SPC and funding from the Asian Development Bank. The Global Fund to fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria will fund the extension of the program to seven of these countries as well as its full implementation in the Cook Islands, Nauru and Solomon Islands. The testing program in Fiji will be funded by NZAID, New Zealand’s International AID and Development Agency.
Chlamydia is easy to test for and does not require any physical examination, only one urine sample. It is also easy to treat with a single dose of antibiotics. However, partners also need to be treated to prevent re-infection.
Most men and women have no symptoms and are unaware that they are infected. However, signs in women may include vaginal discharge and lower abdominal pain; symptoms in men may include pain, stinging and burning when urinating, and/or a discharge from the penis.
“Our goal is to test young people who have sex and have no symptoms but who could be infected and do not know it,” said Dr McNulty. “We would also like to see testing being targeted at people who are not usually able to access testing and treatment, such as sex workers and seafarers.”
Chlamydia and gonorrhea increase the risk of HIV transmission. The best protection against STIs is proper use of a condom during sex. [B][I](SPC)[/I][/B]
