Army begins tests to stem spread of sexually transmitted diseases

[unhappycamper]

Army begins tests to stem spread of sexually transmitted diseases
By Teri Weaver, Stars and Stripes
Pacific edition, Sunday, December 16, 2007

YONGSAN GARRISON South Korea — All female U.S. soldiers coming into South Korea are being tested for chlamydia under a new Army policy, according to the Army’s top medical officer in the country.

The policy, which was instituted Nov. 19, is intended to stem the disease’s spread and to catch infections in women who show no symptoms, according to Col. Greg Jolissaint, the commander of the 18th Medical Command.

In January, the testing will expand to a sampling of incoming male soldiers. By spring, Jolissaint plans to test all incoming soldiers assigned to South Korea, an effort he hopes will lower the rate among troops of America’s most common sexually transmitted disease.

“We wanted to create a program to eradicate chlamydia when they get here,” said Jolissaint, a family medicine doctor who has been in South Korea for 18 months. “We wanted to start people out on the right foot.”

Jolissaint also hopes the policy will serve as a model for increased testing across the Army. Unlike the Navy and the Air Force, the Army does not test incoming recruits for chlamydia, Jolissaint said.


Rest of article at: http://www.stripes.com/article.asp?section=104&article=51002