Isolation of Chlamydia trachomatis from sexually abused female adolescents

Cultures for Chlamydia trachomatis were obtained from 127 female adolescents (13-17 years of age) evaluated for reported sexual abuse. The rate of positive cultures for C trachomatis in this population was 14% (18 of 127). Neisseria gonorrhoeae was found in 12% (15 of 127) of these patients. All but two of the culture-positive patients admitted sexual activity before the abuse, and it is likely that most of the infections were acquired during this previous sexual activity. Concomitant infection with N gonorrhoeae was found in seven adolescents positive for C trachomatis. No adolescents in this study exhibited a positive VDRL. Victims of abuse should be tested for both gonococcal and chlamydial infection. These data show that if antibiotic prophylaxis is used for the sexually abused adolescent, it should be directed against both C trachomatis and N gonorrhoeae.