Prevalence and determinants of Chlamydia trachomatis infections in women from Bogota, Colombia.
OBJECTIVE
Chlamydia trachomatis infection in the cervix and uterus has been hypothesised to be a co-factor for cervical cancer. We performed a cross sectional study in Bogota, Colombia, where cervical cancer rates are high, to determine the prevalence and determinants of C trachomatis infection, and in particular its association with human papillomavirus (HPV).


METHODS
1829 low income sexually active women were interviewed and tested for C trachomatis, using an endogenous plasmid PCR-EIA, and for 37 HPV types, using a general primer GP5+/6+ mediated PCR-EIA.


RESULTS
The overall prevalence of C trachomatis was 5.0%, and it did not differ substantially between women with normal (5.0%) and those with abnormal (5.2%) cervical cytology. Women infected with any HPV type (15.1%) had a slightly increased risk of being simultaneously infected with C trachomatis (adjusted OR 1.3, 95% CI: 0.8 to 2.4). This association was stronger when multiple HPV infections (adjusted OR 2.5, 95% CI: 1.1 to 5.9) were present. No other lifestyle or reproductive characteristics were clearly associated with risk of C trachomatis infection.


CONCLUSIONS
HPV infected women, particularly women with multiple HPV infections, are at increased risk of being infected with C trachomatis.
Molano
M
M
Department of Pathology, Vrije Universiteit Medical Center, Amsterdam, Netherlands.
Weiderpass
E
E
Posso
H
H
Morré
S A
SA
Ronderos
M
M
Franceschi
S
S
Arslan
A
A
Meijer
C J L M
CJ
Muñoz
N
N
van den Brule
A J C
AJ
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002690:Chlamydia Infections / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology*; D002692:Chlamydia trachomatis; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003105:Colombia / Q000453:epidemiology; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D027383:Papillomaviridae; D030361:Papillomavirus Infections / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods; D015995:Prevalence; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D014412:Tumor Virus Infections / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology; D002583:Uterine Cervical Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000821:virology; D014626:Vaginal Smears