PREVALENCE OF GENITAL CHLAMYDIA-TRACHOMATIS INFECTION AMONG WOMEN IN A SWEDISH PRIMARY HEALTH-CARE AREA

The objective of this study was to estimate the prevalence of genital chlamydial infection in an unselected population of young women by offering a screening investigation to all women between the ages of 15 and 34 in a primary health care area. Specimens were taken from both the urethra and the cervix in all participating women, and data regarding the participants' symptoms, sexual habits, contraceptive use and socioeconomic factors were also collected. The specimens were analyzed with a primary enzyme immunoassay (Syva MikroTrak) and a confirmatory direct immunofluorescence test (Syva MikroTrak). A total of 543 women were invited to the study and 374 women (68.9%) participated. 10/374 women (2.7%) were chlamydia positive and only 2 of these 10 chlamydia infected women were < 25 years of age. The chlamydia infected women had positive tests either from the urethra (4 women) or from the cervix (6 women), and in no case the tests were positive from both locations. No statistically significant differences between the chlamydia positive and negative women were found concerning any clinical or anamnestic factor.