Chlamydia trachomatis infection in women attending urban midwestern family planning and community health clinics: risk factors, selective screening, and evaluation of non-culture techniques

Infection due to Chlamydia trachomatis (CT) is the most commonly reported notifiable disease in Wisconsin. This organism is a cause of pelvic inflammatory disease, urethritis, and cervicitis. These diseases are frequently only mildly symptomatic or asymptomatic. Many risk factors are known, and include younger age, increased sexual exposure, cervicitis, and the use of contraceptive methods that act without physical barriers. Direct fluorescent antibody (DFA) and enzyme immunoassay (EIA) tests are now used more frequently to detect this infection, replacing tissue techniques. They also have greater specificity and sensitivity than other test procedures. A project was initiated to determine risk factors and the prevalence of endocervical CT infections in women residing in the Milwaukee area. Evaluation of DFA and EIA tests, both non-culture procedures, was also included in the protocols. The study group included 849 women who were drawn from two family planning clinics and one community health center. The demographic details are described. The results showed that, on the basis of tissue culture evidence, the prevalence of CT was 12.4 percent. None of the other procedures had sufficient predictive values to suggest their usefulness in a selective screening program. (Consumer Summary produced by Reliance Medical Information, Inc.)