Better methods may lead to increase in STD testingBy Sheila Dwyer, Body1 Staff
Millions of Americans walk around every day with an STD – and don’t know it. Incidences of chlamydia and gonorrhea are growing, despite the advent of safe-sex campaigns in schools and on the streets. Chlamydia is considered to be the most common sexually transmitted disease in the United States, with approximately 3 million new cases diagnosed annually. The rate of gonorrhea has increased after 12 years of gradually dropping off.
In order to catch these diseases at a treatable phase, pharmaceutical companies are making the STD testing process easier than ever. The traditional test for chlamydia and gonorrhea is a swab test that removes a small amount of fluid from the infected area. It is possible that the invasive element of this traditional testing is a barrier to testing for many people who may be infected with STDs. With that in mind, Becton Dickinson has invented a less invasive method than the swab test. Its highly sensitive diagnostic system requires no more than a urine sample from the patient, and is the easiest way to get the treatment needed.
Women specifically have a more comprehensive test at their disposal. Digene Corporation announced its new Hybrid Capture II Chlamydia/Gonorrhea test, which can collect a cervical specimen and detect chlamydia and gonorrhea DNA. In addition, Digene also developed a similar test to detect human papilloma virus (HPV) in women with abnormal pap smear results. HPV causes almost all cases of cervical cancer, the fifth most common cancer among women in the United States.
People are often unaware that they are infected with these STDs, because there is often no sign of them. As much as 85 percent of women and 40 percent of men with chlamydia report no symptoms. In terms of gonorrhea, males usually have more marked symptoms than females. For these reasons, the American Social Health Association (ASHA) urges all young sexually active people to get tested. There is an easy cure for both diseases when caught early. If left undetected, they can wreak havoc on the body.
Both of these diseases pose serious health threats. Undetected and untreated, they can spread to the fallopian tubes or ovaries in women, and to the testicles in men. Chlamydia and gonorrhea in women can lead to pelvic inflammatory disease (PID), which scars and blocks the fallopian tubes and may result in infertility. These diseases can also render men sterile via a condition called epididymitis, once the bacteria advances from the urethra to the testicles.
The Centers for Disease Control has recommended that sexually active adolescent girls be tested for chlamydia during routine gynecological exams even if no symptoms are present. In addition, it is suggested that women ages 20 to 24 also be screened. Considering the availability of comprehensive tests on the market now, it would be unwise to delay detection and treatment due to lack of symptoms.
References:
www.digene.com
www.bd.com
www.plannedparenthood.org
