Home sampling and pooling of vaginal samples are effective tools for genetic screening of Chlamydia trachomatis among high school female students in Lithuania

• Published in: Scandinavian journal of infectious diseases Vol. 40; no. 2; pp. 88 - 93
• Main Authors: Kucinskiene, Vesta, Juseviciute, Violeta, Valiukeviciene, Skaidra, Milasauskiene, Zemyna, Unemo, Magnus, Domeika, Marius
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Basingstoke Informa UK Ltd 2008; Taylor & Francis
• Subjects: Adolescent; Adult; Bacterial diseases; Bacterial diseases of the genital system; Biological and medical sciences; Chlamydia Infections - diagnosis; Chlamydia Infections - epidemiology; Chlamydia Infections/diagnosis/epidemiology; Chlamydia trachomatis; Chlamydia trachomatis - genetics; Chlamydia trachomatis - isolation & purification; Chlamydia trachomatis/genetics/isolation & purification; Cost-Benefit Analysis; Dermatologi och venereologi; Dermatologi och venerologi; Dermatologi och venerologi, klinisk genetik, invärtesmedicin; Dermatology and venerology; Dermatology and venerology,clinical genetics, internal medicine; Epidemiology. Vaccinations; Female; General aspects; Human bacterial diseases; Humans; Infectious diseases; Lithuania - epidemiology; Mass Screening - methods; Medical sciences; MEDICIN; MEDICINE; Oligonucleotide Array Sequence Analysis; Prevalence; Self Care - methods; Sexual Behavior; Specimen Handling; Students; Vaginal Diseases - diagnosis; Vaginal Diseases - epidemiology; Vaginal Diseases - microbiology; Vaginal Diseases/diagnosis/epidemiology/microbiology; Vaginal Smears - methods; Lithuania; Eastern Europe; Europe; Chlamydiaceae; Samplings; Vagina; Chlamydia trachomatis; Medical screening; Student; School environment; Genital diseases; Infection; Sexually transmitted disease; Chlamydiales; Bacteria; Female; Sampling
• ISSN: 0036-5548; 1651-1980; 1651-1980
• DOI: 10.1080/00365540701587002

The aims were 1) to estimate the prevalence of C. trachomatis infection among sexually active female students in Kaunas, Lithuania; 2) to investigate the usefulness of personal invitation, self-sampling, and pooling of samples for screening; and 3) to evaluate the costs of the approaches used. A cross-sectional study inviting 795 female students (18-31 y of age) from 7 high schools and 1 college in Kaunas was performed. The response rate was 67% (533/795). Self-obtained vaginal samples were analysed, individually and pooled (n=3), using Digene Hybrid Capture II CT/NG Test. The overall prevalence of C. trachomatis infection was 5.6%. Among the sexually active female students 20-24 y of age (n=424), the prevalence was 7.1%; however, the prevalence varied from 0% to 14.2% at the different schools. For estimation of the population prevalence based solely on identification of C. trachomatis positive pools, the pooling strategy reduced the costs by 85%. For estimation of population prevalence and for diagnosis of each individual sample, pooling reduced the costs by 70%. Targeted screening, using pooling to reduce the expenses, mainly of 3rd and 4th y Lithuanian female students could be recommended. By extended personal contact and internet-based communication, increased participation rates may be attained.