Chlamydia tests on the rise

Published on Tuesday 26 February 2008 21:25

NEARLY 250,000 tests were carried out for the sexually transmitted infection chlamydia in 2006, new figures reveal.

But under 50 per cent were carried out on the under-25s even though this age group accounts for most of the cases.

The NHS figures show that 226,528 chlamydia tests were carried out in 2006, an increase of 1.7 per cent on the previous year's 222,709.

As in the previous year, most of the testing was done on women. While men and women under 25 accounted for 45 per cent of the tests, 70 per cent of those results were positive.

The highest proportions of samples testing positive were in women aged 15-19 and men aged 15-24.

The highest proportion of women in the 15-19 age group testing positive was NHS Lanarkshire, while NHS Dumfries and Galloway accounted for the highest proportion of positive tests among men aged 15-24.