Mysterious STD with no symptoms can be a major health threat, study warns

Scientists have warned that a newly-identified sexually transmitted infection could infect hundreds of thousands of adults without displaying any clear symptom. The infection – called Mycoplasma genitalium (MG) – which was first identified more than 30 years ago – can be easily transferred through sexual contact.

Experts also cautioned that the long-term effects of MG could include inflammation of the urethra and/or cervix, pelvic inflammatory disease and possibly female infertility. However, there were no clear-cut symptoms that could be pointed out to alert potential carriers of the infection. Researchers flagged the health scare after analysing around 4,500 records from Britain’s third National Survey of Sexual Attitudes and Lifestyles.

The findings of the study have been published in the International Journal of Epidemiology, according to a report by the Daily Mail.

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