The aim of this article is to provide an overview of the epidemiology,
diagnosis, screening and pharmacotherapy of Chlamydia trachomatis inf
ections 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 a
t risk of developing sequelae, although women tend to have more seriou
s complications. Several strategies are available for diagnosis and sc
reening. In populations with a high prevalence of disease, DNA-amplifi
cation assays may be the most cost-effective approach for diagnosis an
d screening. Empirical treatment of all patients is also cost effectiv
e; however, it may not be feasible for all health systems. A single do
se of azithromycin is the most cost-effective antimicrobial agent for
treatment of C. trachomatis infection.