Epidemiological features and determinants for Chlamydia trachomatis infection among women in Catalonia, Spain

Determinants of Chlamydia, Gonorrhea, and Coinfection in Heterosexual Adolescents Attending the National Public Sexually Transmitted Infection Clinic in Singapore

BACKGROUND

Amidst recent trends in rising rates of chlamydia and gonorrhea among Singaporean adolescents, there are limited data on risk factors associated with these infections that may inform prevention strategies in this population.

METHODS

A cross-sectional study of chlamydia and gonorrhea positivity was conducted among 1458 sexually active heterosexual adolescents between 14 and 19 years old attending the national public sexually transmitted infection clinic from 2006 to 2013. The association with demographic and behavioral characteristics was assessed by crude prevalence ratio, and negative binomial regression modeling was used to obtain adjusted prevalence ratios (aPRs).

RESULTS

Chlamydia positivity was found in 23.6% of males and 36.6% of females, gonorrhea positivity in 33.1% of males and 15.9% of adolescent girl, and coinfection positivity in 10.2% of males and 10.1% of females. In multivariable analysis, chlamydia was positively associated with being Malay (aPR, 1.6; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.1-2.1) and inconsistent condom use for vaginal sex (aPR, 6.5; 95% CI = 2.4-17.4) in males and with being Malay (aPR, 1.9; 95% CI = 1.5-2.4), inconsistent condom use for vaginal sex (aPR, 2.0; 95% CI = 1.1-3.9), and number of lifetime partners in females (aPR, 1.1; 95% CI = 1.0-1.1). Gonorrhea was positively associated with being Malay (aPR, 3.2; 95% CI = 2.4-4.4), inconsistent condom use for vaginal sex (aPR, 5.4; 95% CI = 2.1-14.4), and number of lifetime partners (aPR, 1.1; 95% CI = 1.0-1.1) in males and with being Malay (aPR, 3.7; 95% CI = 2.4-5.7) in females. Malays had a higher proportion of sexual risk behaviors compared with the non-Malays.

CONCLUSIONS

Ethnicity and high-risk sexual behaviors are important determinants of chlamydia, gonorrhea, and coinfection for adolescents attending this clinic. Targeted interventions are needed to lower the prevalence of high-risk sexual behaviors for the Malay adolescents in this clinic.

Prevalence of Chlamydia trachomatis infection in parturient women in Gipuzkoa, Northern Spain

The prevalence of Chlamydia trachomatis infection in Southern Europe is poorly understood and its identification is essential for the design of appropriate prevention policies. The prevalence of C. trachomatis in 2011–2014 was determined through polymerase chain reaction in urine samples from 11,687 unselected parturient women from the Basque Country, Spain (San Sebastián area). The overall age-adjusted prevalence was 1.0 % (95 % CI 0.8–1.2). The prevalence of infection in women younger than 25 years was 6.4 % and decreased substantially with increasing age: 2.0 % in 25–29 year-olds and 0.5 % in older women (P < 0.001). The prevalence was higher in parturient of foreign origin (1.9 %, 95 % CI 1.3–2.5) than in Spanish parturients (0.8 %, 95 % CI 0.6–1.0), (P < 0.001). The results of this study support the need to screen young women as part of antenatal care in Spain.

Highly specific and efficient primers for in-house multiplex PCR detection of Chlamydia trachomatis, Neisseria gonorrhoeae, Mycoplasma hominis and Ureaplasma urealyticum

Background

Although sophisticated methodologies are available, the use of endpoint polymerase chain reaction (PCR) to detect 16S rDNA genes remains a good approach for estimating the incidence and prevalence of specific infections and for monitoring infections. Considering the importance of the early diagnosis of sexually transmitted infections (STIs), the development of a sensitive and affordable method for identifying pathogens in clinical samples is needed. Highly specific and efficient primers for a multiplex polymerase chain reaction (m-PCR) system were designed in silico to detect the 16S rDNA genes of four bacteria that cause genital infections, and the PCR method was developed.

Methods

The Genosensor Probe Designer (GPD) (version 1.0a) software was initially used to design highly specific and efficient primers for in-house m-PCR. Single-locus PCR reactions were performed and standardised, and then primers for each locus in turn were added individually in subsequent amplifications until m-PCR was achieved. Amplicons of the expected size were obtained from each of the four bacterial gene fragments. Finally, the analytical specificity and limits of detection were tested.

Results

Because they did not amplify any product from non-STI tested species, the primers were specific. The detection limits for the Chlamydia trachomatis, Neisseria gonorrhoeae, Mycoplasma hominis and Ureaplasma urealyticum primer sets were 5.12 × 10⁵, 3.9 × 10³, 61.19 × 10⁶ and 6.37 × 10⁵ copies of a DNA template, respectively.

Conclusions

The methodology designed and standardised here could be applied satisfactorily for the simultaneous or individual detection of Chlamydia trachomatis, Neisseria gonorrhoeae, Mycoplasma hominis and Ureaplasma urealyticum. This method is at least as efficient as other previously described methods; however, this method is more affordable for low-income countries.