New Sexual Disease: Thousands May Have Been Infected Already

A new sexually transmitted infection (STI) could have infected hundreds of thousands of people in the UK, new research suggests.

Mycoplasma genitalium, known as MG, has very few symptoms but is now known to be

passed on through sex.

An estimated 1% of people in the UK aged 16 to 44 are thought to be affected.

MG has previously been identified as

causing discharge, testicular pain, pelvic

pain and bleeding after sex in women,

although most people have no symptoms at

all. 

Scientists believe MG plays a role in pelvic

inflammatory disease, infertility and ectopic pregnancy.

Nigel Field, consultant clinical epidemiologist at Public Health England (PHE), which worked on the new study, said it had found further evidence that MG is an STI.  ''MG is a bacterium that was present in around 1% of the general population aged 16 to 44 years, who had reported at least one sexual partner,'' he said.

He said further research into the ''clinical consequences of MG infection'' are needed before work can begin on possible screening for the infection or steps to prevent it.

''PHE has recently established national surveillance to monitor diagnoses of MG from any clinics undertaking testing and will continue to gather public health data on MG to inform policy on infection control,'' he said.

Source: telegraph.co.uk