Chlamydia trachomatis in adolescents and adults. Clinical and economic implications.

The aim of this article is to provide an overview of the epidemiology, diagnosis, screening and pharmacotherapy of Chlamydia trachomatis infections in adolescents and adults, together with a critical review of economic studies published on this topic. C. trachomatis continues to produce enormous social and economic consequences despite advances in prevention, screening and treatment. Both infected men and women are at risk of developing sequelae, although women tend to have more serious complications. Several strategies are available for diagnosis and screening. In populations with a high prevalence of disease, DNA-amplification assays may be the most cost-effective approach for diagnosis and screening. Empirical treatment of all patients is also cost effective; however, it may not be feasible for all health systems. A single dose of azithromycin is the most cost-effective antimicrobial agent for treatment of C. trachomatis infection.