CYTOMEGALOVIRUS-INFECTION AMONG WOMEN ATTENDING A SEXUALLY-TRANSMITTED DISEASE CLINIC - ASSOCIATION WITH CLINICAL SYMPTOMS AND OTHER SEXUALLY-TRANSMITTED DISEASES

The prevalence rates of cytomegalovirus, Nelsseria gonorrhoeae, Chlamydia trachomatis, Trichomonas vaginalis, and herpes simplex virus Infection were determined for 247 women attending a sexually transmitted disease clinic in Halifax, Nova Scotia between July 1983 and December 1985. Isolation rates were 8.5%, 32.8%, 27.1%, 7.3%, and 6.5% for the five infectious agents, respectively. With multiple logistic regression analysis, the presence of cervical cytomegalovi rus infection was independently associated with age less than 23 years and with gonococcal infection. Factors predictive of C. trachomatls infection included age less than 23 years, gonococcal infection, oral contraceptive use, and purulent discharge. Number of lifetime sexual partners was statisticaliy associated only with herpes simplex virus infection. N. gonorrhoeae, C. trachomatls, and T. vaglnalls were all independently associated with purulent discharge. Cytomegalovirus, N. gonorrhoeae, and C. trachomatis were statistically more likely to be present concurrently with other organisms than to be present as a single infection. Women with another genital infection were 6.5 times more likely to have cytomegalovirus than were women with no other genital infection. Of the 21 women with cytomegalovirus, only two had no other sexually transmitted disease. These findings suggest that N. gonorrhoeae and other sexually transmitted diseases may play a role in either the sexual transmission of or the reactivation of cervical cytomegalovirus infection. © 1990 by The Johns Hopkins University School of Hygiene and Public Health.