A Letter to the Parents/Guardians of our Adolescent Patients about Chlamydia Screening

In October 2006, HPG will begin screening all 15+ year old patients, regardless of gender, for Chlamydia at their yearly well visits*. Chlamydia, a treatable sexually transmitted disease, is the most commonly reported infectious disease in the US , with approximately three to four million new cases each year. Untreated Chlamydia infection increases a woman's risk for pelvic infections, infertility, tubal pregnancy, and HIV infection. In males Chlamydia can cause serious infections. Chlamydia infection is usually asymptomatic (most infected patients will have no symptoms).

Chlamydia screening is covered by most insurance plans. Annual Chlamydia screening of teenaged patients is recommended by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force guidelines, the American Academy of Pediatrics, the American Medical Association, and the American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology.

At HPG, our goal is to provide our adolescent patients with appropriate, and confidential, screening for Chlamydia. We will report any abnormal screening results directly to our patient, and will prescribe appropriate antibiotic therapy for him or her. We cannot disclose the results of the screening test to a parent or guardian without the permission of our patient. We appreciate your cooperation in this matter.

* "Screening on the basis of age (less than 25 years) appears to be effective even in areas where the prevalence of chlamydial infection is low to moderate (3 to 6 percent)." NEJM, Volume 349, Number 25, 2427-28.

"...in Massachusetts , there is a serious and increasing problem with chlamydia infections among 15-19 year olds. In the year 2002, the rate among the 15 to 19year-old age group was 879/100,000, almost five times the rate for all ages." Prevention and Management of Chlamydial Infections in Adolescents: A Toolkit for Clinicians, January 2004, 6-2.

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