PREVALENCE OF ISOLATED URETHRAL ASYMPTOMATIC CHLAMYDIA-TRACHOMATIS INFECTION IN THE ABSENCE OF CERVICAL INFECTION IN INCARCERATED ADOLESCENT GIRLS

Background and objectives: Adolescent girls may have isolated asymptomatic urethral Chlamydia trachomatis infection. Goal of this study: To determine if a single direct fluorescent antibody (DFA) slide can detect as many urethral and cervical infections as the use of separate slides and to determine if isolated urethral infection occurs. Study design: During pelvic examinations upon admission, DFA slides were prepared from the cervix, from the urethra, and with cells from both sites. Results: Of 125 girls, 17 had C. trachomatis infection: 4 in the urethra only (24%), 5 in the cervical sample only (31%), 5 in both sites (31%), 3 had positive results only on the combined slide, and 1 had a positive result on the cervical slide and an inadequate urethral slide. Conclusion: Isolated urethral C. trachomatis infection occurs frequently, and sampling both sites as opposed to sampling the cervix alone increases the number of cases found by 24% (P < 0.002). Using a single slide to detect infection in both sites detects as many infections as using two separate slides.