Predictors of gonorrhea reinfection in a cohort of sexually transmitted disease patients in Alberta, Canada, 1991-2003.
OBJECTIVE
The objective of this study was to identify characteristics associated with reinfection in sexually transmitted disease (STD) patients in Alberta, Canada.


METHODS
A retrospective cohort of 5,701 STD patients with gonorrhea diagnosed between 1991 and 2003 were followed for incident gonorrhea. Rates of reinfection were estimated and multivariate logistic regression was used to identify patient characteristics associated with reinfection.


RESULTS
There were 568 reinfections in 460 individuals, with reinfection occurring at a median of 9.2 months with an incidence rate of 2.34 per 100 person-years (95% confidence interval [CI], 2.09-2.59). The highest risk of reinfection was found in patients of black ethnicity (adjusted hazard ratio [aHR], 3.31; 95% CI, 2.27-4.81), aboriginal ethnicity (aHR, 2.64; 95% CI, 1.96-3.56), those reporting homo-/bisexual practice (aHR, 2.05; 95% CI, 1.40-3.02), or treated at an STD clinic (aHR, 1.49; 95% CI, 1.15-1.94).


CONCLUSIONS
The recognition of key demographic and behavioral characteristics can help focus interventions for patients at higher risk of gonorrhea reinfection.
De
Prithwish
P
Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, McGill University, Montreal, Canada. Prithwish.De@mail.mcgill.ca
Singh
Ameeta E
AE
Wong
Tom
T
Kaida
Angela
A
D000328:Adult; D000416:Alberta / Q000453:epidemiology; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005006:Ethnicity / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D006069:Gonorrhea / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000208:ethnology / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D012008:Recurrence; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012725:Sexual Behavior; D012749:Sexually Transmitted Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000208:ethnology / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology