A protocol for the detection of Chlamydia.

In spite of the fact that chlamydia can cause a variety of diseases affecting a variety of organs, health professionals and, in particular, the public seem to lack awareness of the difficulties the organism presents. The authors discuss how chlamydia affects humans, how it is diagnosed and treated, and then described the setting up of a multidisciplinary protocol that has assisted in the diagnosis of women attending gynaecology and genito-urinary medicine clinics. The protocol has resulted in many asymptomatic women being correctly diagnosed and treated, and the successful contact tracing of sexual partners. Multidisciplinary co-operation, the authors suggest, is the secret behind the protocol's success.