1. Prevalence of Chlamydia trachomatis and Neisseria gonorrhoeae infection in adolescents in Northern Italy: an observational school-based study.
- Author
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Matteelli A, Capelli M, Sulis G, Toninelli G, Carvalho ACC, Pecorelli S, Caruso A, Bonfanti C, Gargiulo F, and Donato F
- Subjects
- Adolescent, Condoms statistics & numerical data, Female, Humans, Italy epidemiology, Male, Mass Screening, Multivariate Analysis, Prevalence, Risk Factors, Risk-Taking, Schools, Sexual Behavior psychology, Sexual Behavior statistics & numerical data, Sexual Partners, Students psychology, Students statistics & numerical data, Surveys and Questionnaires, Chlamydia Infections epidemiology, Chlamydia trachomatis isolation & purification, Gonorrhea epidemiology, Neisseria gonorrhoeae isolation & purification
- Abstract
Background: We carried out a study to evaluate the prevalence of Chlamydia trachomatis and Neisseria gonorrhoeae genital infections in school-based adolescents in Northern Italy., Methods: Systematic screening for C. trachomatis and N. gonorrhoeae genital infection was performed in 13th grade students in the province of Brescia, an industrialized area in Northern Italy. Student filled in a questionnaire on sexual behaviour and provided a urine sample for microbiological testing., Results: A total of 2,718 students (mean age: 18.4 years; 59.1% females) provided complete data (62.2% of those eligible). Overall 2,059 students (75.8%) were sexually active (i.e. had had at least one partner), and the mean age at sexual debut was 16.1 years (SD: 1.4). Only 27.5% of the sexually active students reported regular condom use during the previous 6 months, with higher frequency in males than in females (33.8% vs 24.2%). No case of N. gonorrhoeae infection was detected, while C. trachomatis was found in 36 adolescents, with a prevalence of 1.7% (95% CI: 1.2-2.4) among sexually active students, and no statistical difference between females and males (1.9 and 1.4%, respectively). Inconsistent condom use (odds ratio, OR = 5.5) and having had more than one sexual partner during the previous 6 months (OR = 6.8) were associated with an increased risk of Chlamydia infection at multivariate analysis., Conclusion: The prevalence of C. trachomatis infection among sexually active adolescents in Northern Italy was low, despite a high proportion of students who engage in risky sexual behaviour. No cases of N. gonorrhoeae infection were identified.
- Published
- 2016
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