Chlamydia trachomatis infections in Greece : first prevalence study using nucleic acid amplification tests

• Published in: European journal of clinical microbiology & infectious diseases Vol. 24; no. 3; pp. 207 - 213
• Main Authors: LEVIDIOTOU, S, VRIONI, G, PAPADOGEORGAKI, H, AVDELIODI, K, KADA, H, KAPAROS, G, KOUSKOUNI, E, FRAGOULI, E, LEGAKIS, N. J
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Berlin Springer 01.03.2005; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Adolescent; Adult; Age; Bacterial diseases; Bacterial diseases of the genital system; Biological and medical sciences; Chlamydia; Chlamydia Infections - epidemiology; Chlamydia trachomatis; Chlamydia trachomatis - isolation & purification; Data processing; Demography; Epidemiology. Vaccinations; Female; General aspects; Genitalia - microbiology; Greece - epidemiology; Hospitals; Human bacterial diseases; Humans; Infection; Infectious diseases; Inventories; ligase chain reaction; Ligase Chain Reaction - methods; Male; Medical sciences; Nucleic acids; Parks; Polymerase chain reaction; Polymerase Chain Reaction - methods; Prevalence; Risk assessment; Risk Factors; Sexual partners; Sexually transmitted diseases; Sexually Transmitted Diseases, Bacterial - epidemiology; STD; Urine; Women; Greece; Europe; Prevalence; Chlamydiaceae; Chlamydia trachomatis; Epidemiology; Genital diseases; Amplification; Infection; Sexually transmitted disease; Bacteriosis; Chlamydiales; Bacteria; Chlamydiosis; Nucleic acid
• ISSN: 0934-9723; 1435-4373
• DOI: 10.1007/s10096-005-1296-8

The present retrospective study was initiated to determine the prevalence of Chlamydia trachomatis and to assess the risk factors for infection in adult women and men presenting to general practitioners, gynecologists, dermatologists, and family-planning centers in Greece. The study was carried out in four different Greek hospital centers using highly sensitive nucleic acid amplification techniques. Altogether, 16,834 women and 1,035 men were enrolled from October 1998 to April 2004. Two types of specimens were collected from each patient: cervical swabs from women, urethral swabs from men, and first-catch urine from women and men. All specimens were examined with the Cobas Amplicor C. trachomatis polymerase chain reaction assay (Roche Molecular Systems, Branchburg, NJ, USA) or the LC x C. trachomatis ligase chain reaction assay (Abbott Laboratories, Abbott Park, IL, USA). Demographic and behavioral data were collected by clinicians using a standardized questionnaire. A total of 704 (3.9%) patients were infected with C. trachomatis. The prevalence among female patients was 3.5% and that among male patients 11.2%. Among infected patients, 88% were under 30 years of age, 71% reported more than one sexual partner, and 91% reported a new sexual partner within the last year. In conclusion, the prevalence of C. trachomatis infection in Greece is low. Young age and new and multiple sexual partners within the last year were factors consistently associated with an increased risk of chlamydial infection.