Chlamydia trachomatis and Neisseria gonorrhoeae infections among men and women entering California prisons.
OBJECTIVE
We estimated the prevalence of Chlamydia trachomatis and Neisseria gonorrhoeae infection among newly arriving inmates at 6 California prisons.


METHODS
In this cross-sectional study in 1999, urine specimens collected from 698 men aged 18 to 25 years and 572 women aged 18 years or older were tested at intake for C trachomatis and N gonorrhoeae using ligase chain reaction. An analysis of demographic and arrest-related correlates of C trachomatis and N gonorrhoeae infection was performed.


RESULTS
The overall C trachomatis prevalence was 9.9% (95% CI=7.8%, 12.3%) among men aged 18 to 25 years, 8.9% (95% CI = 2.9%, 22.1%) among women aged 18 to 25 years, and 3.3% (95% CI=2.0%, 5.1%) among women overall. Three N gonorrhoeae cases were detected with an overall prevalence of 0.24% (95% CI=0.05%, 0.69%).


CONCLUSIONS
The prevalence of C trachomatis infection at entry to California prisons, especially among young female and male inmates, was high, which supports routine screening at entry into prison. In addition, screening in a jail setting where most detainees are incarcerated before entry into the prison setting may provide an excellent earlier opportunity to identify these infections and treat disease to prevent complications and burden of infection in this high-risk population.
Bernstein
Kyle T
KT
California Department of Health Services, Sexually Transmitted Disease Control Branch, Berkeley, USA.
Chow
Joan M
JM
Ruiz
Juan
J
Schachter
Julius
J
Horowitz
Evalyn
E
Bunnell
Rebecca
R
Bolan
Gail
G
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002140:California / Q000453:epidemiology; D002690:Chlamydia Infections / Q000453:epidemiology*; D002692:Chlamydia trachomatis; D005260:Female; D006069:Gonorrhea / Q000453:epidemiology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D016017:Odds Ratio; D015995:Prevalence; D011329:Prisoners