title: [Epidemiology of chlamydial infections].
abstract: Genital chlamydia infections are the most frequently diagnosed bacterial sexually transmitted infection (STI) worldwide. Infections with chlamydia trachomatis are not notifiable in Germany. Since 2002, a STI sentinel surveillance including 243 sentinel sites has been set up in Germany. Between January 2003 and June 2006, 6.7% of 46,168 chlamydia tests were positive. Of the 1547 positive patients, 64.3% were women and the median age was 26 years. In this group, 60.4% of women and 29.3% of men were of non-German origin. Heterosexual contacts were stated as the possible source of infection for 42.9% of men and 26.4% of women. A total of 16.1% men and 38.6% women reportedly "always" used condoms with others than their permanent partner. The awareness of chlamydia infections needs to be improved among physicians, patients and the general population.
authors.affiliation: Abteilung für Infektionsepidemiologie, Robert Koch-Institut, 13353, Seestrasse 10, Berlin, Germany. bremerv@rki.de
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Bremer
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Hofmann
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Hamouda
mesh_terms: D002690:Chlamydia Infections / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control*; D017280:Condoms / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D020010:Heterosexuality / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D015995:Prevalence; D018570:Risk Assessment / Q000379:methods*; D012307:Risk Factors; D015231:Sexually Transmitted Diseases, Bacterial / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control*