Epidemiological correlates of asymptomatic gonorrhea
Ivana Bozicevic1, Kevin A Fenton, Iona M C Martin
1Public and Environmental Health Research Unit, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, UK. Ivana.Bozicevic@lshtm.ac.uk
Sexually Transmitted Diseases
|March 24, 2006
Summary
Asymptomatic gonorrhea correlates vary by sex and co-infections. Previous gonorrhea decreased odds in women, while chlamydia increased odds in heterosexual men. Syphilis and warts increased odds in homosexual men.
Area of Science:
- Public Health
- Infectious Diseases
- Epidemiology
Background:
- The Gonococcal Resistance to Antimicrobials Surveillance Programme (GRASP) monitors Neisseria gonorrhoeae antimicrobial resistance in England.
- Understanding asymptomatic gonorrhea correlates is crucial for effective screening strategies.
Purpose of the Study:
- To identify factors associated with asymptomatic gonorrhea infections.
- To analyze patient data from Genitourinary Medicine Clinics in England (2001-2003).
Main Methods:
- Analysis of data from the GRASP sentinel surveillance program.
- Annual data collection between June and August from 2001 to 2003.
Main Results:
- Women with prior gonorrhea or other STIs (excluding chlamydia, syphilis, herpes, warts) had lower odds of asymptomatic infection.
- Heterosexual men with chlamydia coinfection showed higher odds of asymptomatic gonorrhea.
- Homosexual men with syphilis and warts coinfection had increased likelihood of asymptomatic gonorrhea.
Conclusions:
- Correlates of asymptomatic gonorrhea are heterogeneous, impacting clinical screening.
- Testing strategies for STIs, particularly in homosexual men, require further investigation.
- Site-specific STI testing is relevant for understanding asymptomatic gonorrhea prevalence.
Related Concept Videos
01:28Amebiasis
Entamoeba histolytica, a protozoan parasite, is responsible for intestinal and extraintestinal amebiasis. Though a significant proportion of infections remain asymptomatic, approximately 50 million individuals annually are estimated to present with clinical disease, resulting in up to 100,000 deaths globally. The disease burden is disproportionately high in regions with lower socioeconomic status, such as parts of India, Africa, Mexico, and Latin America.Etiology and TransmissionThe infective...
01:26Factors Affecting the Risk of Infection
The hosts' susceptibility to infection depends on several factors. The integrity of the skin and mucous membranes helps protect the body against microbial attacks. When the skin is altered, the chance of infection, limb loss, and even death increases.
The integrity and count of the white blood cells help the body resist pathogens and fight infection. When impaired, it reduces the body's resistance to pathogens. The acidic pH levels of the gastrointestinal, genitourinary tracts, and skin create...
The integrity and count of the white blood cells help the body resist pathogens and fight infection. When impaired, it reduces the body's resistance to pathogens. The acidic pH levels of the gastrointestinal, genitourinary tracts, and skin create...
01:26Sexually Transmitted Infections
Sexually transmitted infections (STIs) are diseases transmitted primarily through unsafe sexual interactions. Bacteria, viruses, or parasites cause them and can result in severe health complications if untreated.ChlamydiaThe bacterium Chlamydia trachomatis is responsible for the disease Chlamydia, the most common STI in the United States. This peculiar pathogen requires human cells to reproduce, residing intracellularly. The initial infection often goes unnoticed because it typically does not...
01:23Genital Herpes
Genital herpes is a sexually transmitted infection primarily caused by herpes simplex virus type 2 (HSV-2), though herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) is increasingly implicated in genital infections, particularly among younger populations. Transmission occurs mainly through sexual contact, with asymptomatic viral shedding serving as a major route of spread. This characteristic makes HSV-2 difficult to control at a population level, as individuals may unknowingly transmit the virus even in the...
01:18Trichomoniasis
Trichomonas vaginalis is a flagellated protozoan parasite and the causative agent of trichomoniasis, one of the most prevalent non-viral sexually transmitted infections in the United States. This extracellular parasite primarily colonizes the lower genitourinary tract in women—particularly the vagina—and in men, the urethra and prostate. Its structural and functional adaptations enable its survival, motility, and pathogenicity within the host environment.Structural Features and Host EntryT.
01:28Toxoplasmosis
Toxoplasmosis, a zoonotic disease caused by the protozoan Toxoplasma gondii, poses significant public health challenges globally due to its high seroprevalence and varied clinical manifestations. As an obligate intracellular parasite, T. gondii can infect all warm-blooded vertebrates, but felids are its only definitive hosts, shedding unsporulated oocysts into the environment. Humans typically acquire the infection through ingestion of tissue cysts in undercooked meat or oocysts from...