[Incidence of genitourinary infection caused by Chlamydia trachomatis in a STD center calculated by direct antigen detection]

Chlamydia trachomatis is one of the most common sexually transmitted agents which causes a wide spectrum of diseases including urethritis in men and endocervicitis in women. We analyzed patients with genitourinary C. trachomatis infections evaluating risk factors and the association with other sexually transmitted infections.

We processed 1,180 specimens from 913 patients (772 women and 141 men), attended at a Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STD) Center. The diagnostic of C. trachomatis infection was made by an enzyme-linked fluorescent immunoassay, Vidas Chlamydia test (bioMérieux).

The incidence of C. trachomatis infection was 4.8% (57 cases) and was higher in women (70.1%) than in men (29.8%). The risk groups observed were: 26 prostitute, 7 contact with prostitute or risk partner, 5 homosexual, 5 promiscuous heterosexual and 14 without risk groups. Associated with this infection we observed other: 10 bacterial vaginosis, 8 Papillomavirus infection, 3 Trichomonas vaginalis infections, 2 Neisseria gonorrhoeae infections and 2 Candidiasis. The 53.4% of these patients didn't have any symptomatology at the consult moment.

The control of patients with risk factors is important for the diagnostic of C. trachomatis and other sexually transmitted infections, because most of them were prostitutes and asymptomatic. Within men, homosexuality, contact with prostitute or risk partner were the practices with higher risk.