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Chlamydia (C.) trachomatis-infected female teenagers with older partners may be less likely to discuss the infection with their partner(s) and to use condoms and therefore may be more likely to get reinfected. This study aimed to determine if C. trachomatis--infected female teenagers with older partners were more likely to be reinfected than those with same-aged partners. Study participants which comprise females aged 14-18 years who had uncomplicated chlamydial infection were non-pregnant attended clinics in five US cities from June 1995-May 1997 completed treatment and resumed sexual activity were observed at 1 and 4 months for interim history and retesting. Of 225 woman studied 73.3% were Black 34.5% had at least one partner who was 3 or more years older during follow-up 51.6% reported using a condom at the last sex act with all partners 13.8% had a recurrent infection and 47.4% reported they were certain that all of their baseline partners were treated. Partner age was not associated with condom use certainty of partners taking medication or recurrent infections after adjustment for visit. In conclusion older partners accounting for approximately one-third of all partners did not increase the risk of reinfection. Given the high risk for recurrence follow-up testing and enhanced efforts to ensure partner treatment are appropriate for all young women with chlamydial infections. (authors)

Sequelae of genital Chlamydia trachomatis infection in women are more strongly linked to repeat infections than to initial ones, and persistent or subsequent infections foster continued transmission.To identify factors associated with persistent and recurrent chlamydial infection in young women that might influence prevention strategies.Teenage and young adult women with uncomplicated C trachomatis infection attending reproductive health, sexually transmitted disease, and adolescent medicine clinics in five US cities were recruited to a cohort study. Persistent or recurrent chlamydial infection was detected by ligase chain reaction (LCR) testing of urine 1 month and 4 months after treatment.Among 1,194 women treated for chlamydial infection, 792 (66.4%) returned for the first follow-up visit, 50 (6.3 %) of whom had positive LCR results. At that visit, women who resumed sex since treatment were more likely to have chlamydial infection (relative risk [RR], 2.0; 95% CI, 1.03-3.9), as were those who did not complete treatment (RR, 3.4; 95% CI, 1.6-7.3). Among women who tested negative for C trachomatis at the first follow-up visit, 36 (7.1%) of 505 had positive results by LCR at the second follow-up visit. Reinfection at this visit was not clearly associated with having a new sex partner or other sexual behavior risks; new infection was likely due to resumption of sex with untreated partners. Overall, 13.4% of women had persistent infection or became reinfected after a median of 4.3 months, a rate of 33 infections per 1,000 person months.Persistent or recurrent infection is very common in young women with chlamydial infection. Improved strategies are needed to assure treatment of women's male sex partners. Rescreening, or retesting of women for chlamydial infection a few months after treatment, also is recommended as a routine chlamydia prevention strategy.