Prevalence and re-infection rate of C. trachomatis genital infections in young people under 25 years in Catalonia

Introduction: Chlamydia trachomatis infection is the most common bacterial sexually transmitted disease. Re-infections are a major problem in its control as they increase the probability of developing sequellae. Objectives: To estimate the prevalence of C. trachomatis and re-infection rate after 6 months of treatment by determining the possible causes. Methods: Cross-sectional study in which a urine sample was analysed by PCR in a convenience sample of 506 sexually active youths aged 16-25 years. An epidemiological survey and re-test was performed at 3 months. Results: The prevalence of C. trachomatis was 8.5%. The age (OR= 2.34; 95% CI: 1.21-4.55) and concurrency (OR = 3.64; 95%CI: 3.58-26.39) were determining factors for acquiring C. trachomatis. The re-infection rate was 10.34%. Discussion: The high prevalence of C. trachomatis, as well as the rate of reinfection, suggest the need to assess the effectiveness of the opportunistic screening program and ensure high levels of reporting of sexual partners. Ensuring these approaches facilitate the control of C. trachomatis among young people. (C) 2015 Elsevier Espana, S.L.U. and Sociedad Espanola de Enfermedades Infecciosas y Microbiologia Clinica. All rights reserved.