About chlamydia

Chlamydia is known as the "silent" infection. The only way to know for sure if someone has it is to be tested. Left untreated, it can greatly affect reproductive health and quality of life

The problem

Chlamydia is the most reported infectious disease in Minnesota. According to the Minnesota Department of Health:

• In 2019, chlamydia infections rose 4% in MN to 24,535 cases
• In 2019, one third of cases are reported in Minneapolis and Saint Paul; one third are reported in suburban areas and one third occurred in greater Minnesota, with five or more cases in every county except one in MN
• Adolescents and young adults ages 15-24 account for almost 70 percent of cases
• The majority of females infected are under age 25
• The rates of chlamydia infection are much higher in the BIPOC community of Minnesota.
  2019 rates compared with Whites:
  • Black, Non-Hispanic = 9.7x higher
  • American Indian = 4.7x higher
  • Asian/PI = 1.9x higher
  • Hispanic* = 4.2x higher

What we can do

The USPSTF recommends screening for chlamydia in sexually active women age 24 or younger and in older women who are at increased risk for infection. In Minnesota, the screening rate is only 50 percent. Our goal should be to increase this number by improving preventive screening through:

• Adoption of "opt out" protocols
• Educating on the importance of screening
• Community collaboration
• Other strategies outlined in the Provider toolkit

Practitioner Resources

Accelerate your quality performance:

• MN Chlamydia Screening Toolkit
• PIP: Chlamydia Screening for Women - Stratis Health

Measurement & incentive programs

• MNCM Chlamydia Screening measure
• Partners in Excellence

Patient Resources

Health Information Library

Social Media Resources available in the ToolKit. (See page 13)

• Minnesota Department of Health
• Minnesota Chlamydia Partnership
• Center for Disease Control and Prevention