Testing for chlamydia in young women: a public health issue

Chlamydia trachomatis is the most widespread of all bacterial sexually transmitted infections, especially in young women aged 18 to 24. Prevention relies on the use of condoms. If left untreated, infection with chlamydia can spread to the uterus and into the upper genital tract, where it may cause upper genital infections such as endometritis and salpingitis. In the longer term, it can increase the risks of ectopic pregnancy or lead to infertility.

A cohort of 4,000 female student volunteers between the ages of 18 and 24 will help advance research by taking part in the i-Predict study on sexually transmitted infections in young women, which represent a serious public health problem.

i-Predict is led by the B2PhI^* research unit (UVSQ/Inserm/Institut Pasteur), with the support of the HUPIFO^** clinical research unit, in collaboration with the National Reference Center for Bacterial Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs) at Bordeaux University Hospital and the University of Bordeaux, and promoted by the Paris public hospital network (AP-HP). It was launched in January 2017 on several university campuses in France, with the aim of evaluating whether systematic testing and treatment of genital chlamydia infections can reduce the risk of associated complications, especially salpingitis, which can lead to infertility. The study will follow a cohort of 4,000 female students between the ages of 18 and 24 from all over France. Volunteers are currently being recruited.

^* B2PhI: Biostatistics, biomathematics, pharmacoepidemiology and infectious diseases. Joint research unit 1181 (Inserm/Institut Pasteur/UVSQ)
^**HUPIFO: University hospitals in western Paris and Ile-de-France

Find out more (in French)