Chlamydia trachomitis antigen in the cervix: prevalence in a student population

The prevalence of chlamydia trachomatis was investigated over a two-year period in a population of women university students attending a student health clinic for routine pelvic examination or for a gynecologic complaint. Direct immunofluorescence slide test was used to determine the presence of C. trachomatis. The overall prevalence rates for the two-years periods studied were 8.2% and 7.1%. When women who had symptoms of a urogenital infection were compared to women who were asymptomatic, it was found that symptomatic women were more likely to have C. trachomatis in the cervix. To determine whether women with positive cases showed differences in appearance of the cervix, method of contraception, or other organisms colonizing the vagina, the cases were matched with two controls, and a retrospective chart review was performed. The cases were more likely to have cervicitis and to be culture positive with gardnerella vaginalis, and they were less likely to have used condoms for contraception. In the two periods studied, the carriage rates for asymptomatic cases were 6% and 5%. Fifty-eight per cent of all positive cases were asymptomatic. If this organism is to be eradicated from college-women populations, all women attending for a urogenital infection should be screened, and women attending for routine annual examinations should be screened if there is a clinical indication.