Screening study aims to tackle chlamydia

A study aimed at tackling the world's commonest bacterial sexually-transmitted infection started this week. Researchers at the University of Birmingham began screening about 18,000 men and women aged 16 to 39 for chlamydia, which, if untreated, can cause infertility.

Prospective volunteers will be selected at random from general practices in the West Midlands and Bristol, sent a study pack and asked to participate. The Chlamydia Screening Studies Project will last two years and involve fellow researchers from the University of Bristol, the Public Health Laboratory Service and local GPs.

John Macleod, clinical research fellow at the department of primary care and general practice at the University of Birmingham, said: "Chlamydia potentially concerns us all and there is an urgent need for us to find out the best way to combat this public health problem."

The study has been commissioned by the National Health Service health technology assessment programme.