Authors:

Abstract

Introduction: Chlamydia trachomatis infection is the most prevalent bacterial sexually transmitted disease (STD). The aims of the study were to determine the prevalence of chlamydia among STD clinic attendees in relation to socio-demographic characteristics, clinical presentation and sexual and STD-related risk behavior, to measure the significance of associated factors and identify the most significant risk factors for chlamydia infection.

Methods: A cross-sectional, descriptive study was done on 216 females and 252 males attending the Central STD Clinic. Endocervical swabs from females and urine from males were tested using the COBAS® TaqMan® CT v2.0 rt-PCR. Socio-demographic data, clinical features and factors associated with infection were recorded. Significance of associated factors was determined using a Chi-square test and the most significant risk factors were identified using a binary logistic model.

Results: Prevalence of chlamydia among females was 17.1%(37/216) and among males was 5.2%(13/252). Prevalence among female sex workers (FSWs) was 20.4%(20/98, p<0.001). Most infected females 67.6%(25/37) were asymptomatic. In contrast, 61.5%(8/13, p=0.009) of infected males were symptomatic. Female gender, age ≤25 years and providing or receiving CSW were the most significant risk factors (OR=3.942, 95% CI 1.896– 8.198, OR=2.142, 95% CI 1.083–4.235 and OR=1.978, 95% CI 1.039–3.764, respectively).

Conclusions: Prevalence of chlamydia among female attendees is high and a high proportion of infections are asymptomatic, rendering syndromic management inappropriate. Among males, however, symptomatic attendees were significantly more likely to be infected than asymptomatic. Female gender, age ≤25 years and providing or receiving commercial sex are significant risk factors.

Keywords: Genital chlamydia, Sexually Transmitted Diseases clinic attendees, prevalence, associated factors