Seroepidemiology of Chlamydia trachomatis infection in infertile women in Melbourne

Exposure to Chlamydia trachomatis Infection in Individuals Who Are Newly Diagnosed with HIV and Antiretroviral-Naïve from Belém, Northern Brazil

Chlamydia trachomatis is one of the most prevalent sexually transmitted bacteria worldwide and may increase the risk of other sexually transmitted infections (STIs) including the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). This study describes the seroprevalence of C. trachomatis infection among antiretroviral-naïve patients who are newly diagnosed with HIV in the city of Belém, Pará, in the Amazon region of Brazil. A cross-sectional study was carried out between January 2018 and January 2019 in 141 people living with HIV/AIDS (PLHA) who were followed up in a specialized unit of the public health network of Pará. The investigation of IgG antibodies against C. trachomatis was performed by enzyme immunoassay. Sociodemographic and sexual behavior information were obtained through a questionnaire. The prevalence of IgG anti-C. trachomatis antibodies was 64.8% (92/141). The majority of individuals were young, heterosexual, single men who did not use condoms during sexual intercourse and had no history of STIs. No significant differences were found when comparing any clinical or demographic data between groups. Our results demonstrated a high rate of exposure to C. trachomatis in newly diagnosed HIV-infected individuals in the Amazon region of Brazil, and all PLHA should be screened for C. trachomatis to decrease transmission of the bacteria and prevent the clinical manifestations of chronic infection.

Pregnancy and fertility-related adverse outcomes associated with Chlamydia trachomatis infection: a global systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

Genital chlamydia infection in women is often asymptomatic, but may result in adverse outcomes before and during pregnancy. The purpose of this study was to examine the strength of the relationships between chlamydia infection and different reproductive health outcomes and to assess the certainty of the evidence.

METHODS

This review was registered and followed the Cochrane guidelines. We searched three databases to quantitatively examine adverse outcomes associated with chlamydia infection. We included pregnancy and fertility-related outcomes. We performed meta-analyses on different study designs for various adverse outcomes using unadjusted and adjusted analyses.

RESULTS

We identified 4730 unique citations and included 107 studies reporting 12 pregnancy and fertility-related outcomes. Sixty-eight studies were conducted in high-income countries, 37 studies were conducted in low-income or middle-income countries, and 2 studies were conducted in both high-income and low-income countries. Chlamydia infection was positively associated with almost all of the 12 included pregnancy and fertility-related adverse outcomes in unadjusted analyses, including stillbirth (OR=5.05, 95% CI 2.95 to 8.65 for case-control studies and risk ratio=1.28, 95% CI 1.09 to 1.51 for cohort studies) and spontaneous abortion (OR=1.30, 95% CI 1.14 to 1.49 for case-control studies and risk ratio=1.47, 95% CI 1.16 to 1.85 for cohort studies). However, there were biases in the design and conduct of individual studies, affecting the certainty of the overall body of evidence. The risk of adverse outcomes associated with chlamydia is higher in low-income and middle-income countries compared with high-income countries.

CONCLUSION

Chlamydia is associated with an increased risk of several pregnancy and fertility-related adverse outcomes in unadjusted analyses, especially in low-income and middle-income countries. Further research on how to prevent the sequelae of chlamydia in pregnant women is needed.

TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER

CRD42017056818.

The importance of chlamydial infections in obstetrics and gynaecology: An update

Chlamydia is now the most common notifiable infectious disease in many countries, a fact that has serious ramifications for the reproductive health of women. This review highlights the epidemiology, pathophysiology, clinical features and reproductive sequelae of the infection. Current screening and management methods are outlined. Obstetricians and gynaecologists are ideally placed to play a major role in the primary prevention of this significant sexually transmitted infection.

Ectopic Pregnancies and Reproductive Capacity After Chlamydia trachomatis Positive and Negative Test Results: A Historical Follow-Up Study

BACKGROUND

Recent studies have shown that women with Chlamydia trachomatis-positive test results worry about their future fertility.

GOAL

The goal of this study was to give women infected with C. trachomatis a fertility prognosis by analyzing ectopic pregnancies and birth rates

STUDY DESIGN

An historical follow-up study in a cohort of 22,264 women tested for the infection was conducted.

RESULTS

Cox regression analysis with time-dependent covariates showed that women with at least 1 C. trachomatis-positive test result had a lower incidence rate of ectopic pregnancy than women with negative test results only (adjusted hazard ratio, 0.55; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.31-0.96). We found comparable birth rates in the 2 groups (adjusted hazard ratio, 0.92; 95% CI, 0.84-1.00).

CONCLUSIONS

Counseling of women with a C. trachomatis-positive test result should emphasize the benefit of detection and treatment of the infection in terms of future morbidity.

Genital Chlamydia trachomatis infection in Australia: epidemiology and clinical implications

Over the last decade, notification rates for genital Chlamydia trachomatis infection in Australia have been rising progressively. While chlamydia is common and possibly increasing in the general population, heterosexual adolescents, indigenous Australians in remote settings, and homosexually active men are at particular risk of infection. Few studies are available on the extent of morbidity from chlamydia-associated diseases. Australia urgently needs a national strategy to control chlamydia, with widespread, selective screening as a key component. As general practitioners have an important role to play, we proffer guidelines for selective testing in primary care.

Genital chlamydial infections: epidemiology and reproductive sequelae

Genital chlamydial infection is increasing and is now more common than gonorrhea. A sizable percentage of chlamydial infections of the lower genital tract in women progress to endometritis and salpingitis. Tubal infertility and ectopic pregnancy are important sequelae. Failure to control chlamydial infections reflects the following four factors: (1) Many cases are mild or asymptomatic; (2) diagnostic tests are expensive and technically demanding; (3) at least 7 days of multiple-dose therapy are currently required; and (4) partner notification is not routinely performed. Thus early identification of infected persons and compliance with curative therapy are less likely than with other sexually transmitted bacterial diseases.

Chlamydia trachomatis infections--the Royal Women's Hospital experience

During the 18-month period from December 1, 1985 to May 31, 1987 Chlamydia trachomatis was the most-common sexually-transmitted agent to be identified at the Royal Women's Hospital, Melbourne. It was isolated from 4% of all specimens for which such culture was requested and was found five-times more frequently than was Neisseria gonorrhoeae. A review of the clinical presentation and the management of the 100 public patient for this period whose cervical specimens were found to give positive results for the presence of chlamydiae revealed that 77% of the women were less than 25 years of age, 78% of the women were single and 65% of the women were nulliparous. Thirty-five women were asymptomatic carriers of chlamydiae. Of the remaining 65 patients with symptoms, 46% experienced pelvic pain, 39% experienced a vaginal discharge and 26% experienced irregular bleeding. The importance of abnormal bleeding is emphasized. In patients who presented for therapeutic abortions, morbidity occurred in 19% of those who were carriers of Chl. trachomatis; accordingly, screening for chlamydiae as routine is recommended in such patients. Furthermore, because of the risk of pelvic inflammatory disease and its consequences, it is important not only to treat female patients in whom chlamydiae have been isolated, but also to treat and to follow-up their sexual partners simultaneously.

The role of chlamydial antibodies in an in vitro fertilization program

The reported incidence of antibodies to Chlamydia trachomatis in patients attending infertility clinics is at least 30%. It has been reported that chlamydial antibodies are associated with decreased pregnancy rates following in vitro fertilization (IVF). A study was performed to investigate the significance of chlamydial antibodies in an established IVF program. The results did not show a decreased pregnancy rate in the presence of chlamydial antibodies. Of the women achieving pregnancy, 41% were seropositive compared with 38% seropositivity in women who did not become pregnant. There was no apparent benefit of the use of prophylactic antibiotics. The results also suggested that past infection with C. trachomatis in men did not adversely affect semen analysis or fertilization.