<i>Chlamydia trachomatis</i> infection in an infertile population: a cross sectional study

Abstract

Introduction: Chlamydia trachomatis is sexually transmitted and causes infection of the genital tract that leads to many long term complications. Invasive procedures in infected infertile females increase the risk of ascending infection and long term consequences. Though infertile individuals are considered a high risk population prevalence data for our population is not available. Furthermore, the use of risk factor identification in diagnosis is not well established. This study was planned to determine the prevalence of Chlamydia infection and to describe the socioeconomic clinical characteristics that are associated with the presence of infection among a patient population who sought treatment for infertility at a tertiary care facility. Method: A cross sectional study was carried out among patients who sought infertility treatment at the infertility clinic of Colombo North Teaching Hospital, Ragama. Two hundred married couples were included in the study. The socioeconomic data and any symptoms suggestive of genital infections were collected and Chlamydia trachomatis infection was diagnosed with a rapid antigen test using a commercial test kit. Intracervical swabs of the female and first void urine samples of the male were used. Data analysis was done to describe the prevalence of Chlamydia infection in each partner as well as to identify the number of couples where either partner was affected. Associations with recognized risk factors were identified. Results: Presence of symptoms was low in the males while one third of female subjects had one or more symptoms. The Chlamydia test revealed 12(6%) female and 6(3%) male study participants to be positive for current disease. These study participants were from 15 couples giving a prevalence rate of either partner being positive in 7.5% of couples. Of the risk factors identified the duration of marriage or infertility, education level, household income, alcohol use and smoking by the male, and presence of symptoms did not demonstrate a significant association with the presence of the disease. Partners staying away from each other were significantly associated with a positive result. Conclusion: There is 7.5% disease prevalence among infertile couples seeking treatment. Risk assessment and clinical symptoms have a limited value in identification of affected couples. Couples living separately have a high risk of Chlamydia infection. The high disease prevalence warrants either screening or empirical treatment of all infertile female patients undergoing invasive procedures.

Unsafe sexual behaviour in domestic and foreign migrant male workers in multinational workplaces in Jordan: occupational-based and behavioural assessment survey

“…Sexual education has been found to play an essential role in preventing unsafe sex and dissemination of STIs. 36 37 These findings demonstrate the importance of a call for action to tailor multilanguage STI and sexual education programmes to meet the specific needs of workers speaking different languages.…”

Prevalence ofTrichomonas vaginalis, Chlamydia trachomatis, Neisseria gonorrhoeaeand human papillomavirus in a sexual health clinic setting in urban Sri Lanka

“…In a study consisting of 50 patients with non-gonococcal urethritis attending an STI clinic, Galagoda 26 showed a prevalence of 12% (three men and three women out of a sample of 50 patients) of C. trachomatis using culture methods, while Palihawadana et al., 27 found a prevalence of 7.5% among a population of infertile couples using serology. It is accepted that NAAT-based methods are more sensitive in the detection of STIs and may be a reason for the higher prevalence in general obtained, apart from trichomoniasis.…”

Prevalence and associated factors of genital chlamydia infection among Central Sexually Transmitted Diseases clinic attendees in Sri Lanka

“…Very few studies on the burden of disease due to C. trachomatis have been conducted in Sri Lanka, predominantly in females attending sexually transmitted disease (STD) clinics . (4)(5)(6)(7)(8)(9) The aim of this study was to address gaps in data, in Sri Lanka, by determining the prevalence of chlamydia infection in males and females attending a STD clinic, determining associated factors and identifying the most significant risk factors .…”