Rapid test offers new weapon against chlamydia

Rapid test offers new weapon against chlamydia
LONDON (Reuters) - A new rapid test for chlamydia, theworld's most common sexually transmitted infection, has provedsuccessful in trials and could help rein in a worrying rise inthe disease, British scientists said on Friday.
The test is able to detect chlamydia in less than 30minutes -- and often much faster.
Its speed could also mean it becomes a vital diagnostictool in the developing world where chlamydia, which can causeinfertility, is a largely hidden menace.
The new Chlamydia Rapid Test (CRT) detects bacteria fromself-collected vaginal swabs, which are much simpler to obtainthan cervical swabs required by existing rapid tests. It isalso up to twice as accurate.
"The speed of the CRT means that we can provide a 'test andtreat' strategy, offering immediate clinical care to thepatient," said Helen Lee of the University of Cambridge, whoseresearch team developed the test.
That could make it particularly useful in mobile clinics oramongst difficult-to-reach populations in the developing world,where high-risk groups such as female sex workers frequentlycarry the disease undetected.
Chlamydia is easily cured with antibiotics, but often goesundiagnosed. When untreated, it can cause severe healthconsequences, particularly for women, such as pelvicinflammatory disease, ectopic pregnancy and infertility.
The test will be made available by a university spinoutcompany Diagnostics for the Real World in early 2008. The firmplans to provide the test at virtually cost price to the publicsector in developing countries.
An evaluation of the test in three British clinics wasreported in the British Medical Journal.
(Reporting by Ben Hirschler)