ANP A condom, photo for illustration purposes only

NOS Nieuws•donderdag, 12:00

An infection with the sexually transmitted disease chlamydia carries only a very small risk of reduced fertility, according to recent research. Based on these new scientific insights, the GGD will adjust its testing policy next year.

For years, it was thought that chlamydia was a major cause of infertility in women – it was already known that an infection does not lead to infertility in men. For this reason, an extensive campaign was also set up around prevention, diagnosis and treatment of the STD. Chlamydia is still treated with antibiotics as standard, even if there are no symptoms.

New research shows that in most cases the STD goes away on its own without causing any harmful effects. There is also no evidence that the current approach is effective.

Preventing overtreatment

From January 2025, the GGD will therefore no longer test for chlamydia as standard in people without symptoms. This prevents overtreatment and contributes to combating antibiotic resistance. People with symptoms will still be tested.

Every year, thousands of people without symptoms are tested for chlamydia, often in combination with gonorrhea. This does not lead to a decrease in the number of infections with chlamydia. Incidentally, the GGD will continue testing for gonorrhea.

In 2023, more than 24,000 chlamydia diagnoses were made at a Sexual Health Center of the GGD. In 45 percent of the cases this happened in women and in 23 percent of the cases in heterosexual men.

Soa Aids Nederland calls the adjustment of the testing policy good news. “Many people have been afraid of the negative consequences of this STD for years. These new insights also show that this fear is largely unfounded,” says infectious disease control physician Hanna Bos.

The organization emphasizes that it is still very important to prevent an STD and to use a condom. Testing for STDs also remains important.