title: Prevalence and risk factors for Chlamydia trachomatis infection in female New Zealand university students.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To measure the prevalence of urogenital Chlamydia trachomatis infection in a sample of sexually active female university students, to identify risk factors associated with infection, and to measure the uptake of screening.
  
  
  METHODS
  Female students aged 18-25 years, presenting to a university student health service from March to October 2003, were invited to participate. Information on demographic details and sexual behaviour was collected with a self-completed questionnaire. The students were tested for Chlamydia infection using the Roche Amplicor CT/NG PCR test of first void urine specimens.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Chlamydia prevalence was 2.7% (19/715). Infection was associated with previous sexually transmitted infection (STI), non-European ethnicity, and irregular use of condoms. Most participants were not using condoms regularly despite the risk of STI. Screening was technically straightforward and the participation rate was 59.9% (718/1199).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  New Zealand needs to develop and implement an adequately resourced and evidence-based Chlamydia control strategy. This strategy should contain national guidelines on screening in a range of settings, including universities, as well as strategies for primary prevention of Chlamydia and other STI. Clinicians treating university-aged students should consider opportunistic Chlamydia screening for all of those who are sexually active. Further research, preferably in conjunction with intervention studies, is essential to assess the prevalence of Chlamydia in other populations.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Environmental Science and Research Limited, Porirua. michael.baker@wnmeds.ac.nz
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Baker
authors.forename: Jose
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ortega-Benito
authors.forename: Nick
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Garret
authors.forename: Collette
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Bromhead
authors.forename: Kathryn
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Leslie
authors.forename: Jane
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: MacDonald
authors.forename: Anne
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: McNicholas
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002690:Chlamydia Infections / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D002692:Chlamydia trachomatis; D015897:Comorbidity; D017280:Condoms / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D003268:Contraception Behavior / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D009520:New Zealand / Q000453:epidemiology; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors; D012725:Sexual Behavior / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012749:Sexually Transmitted Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology; D013333:Student Health Services / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D013334:Students / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*