title: Screening for rectal chlamydia infection in a genitourinary medicine clinic.
abstract: Our department has been offering routine rectal chlamydia testing to all individuals reporting ano-receptive sex since 2002. We wanted to determine the prevalence of rectal chlamydia and if there were any factors associated with a positive diagnosis. A retrospective case-notes analysis was performed of all individuals tested for rectal chlamydia from November 2002 until March 2005. In total, 1187 case-notes were examined. Overall, the prevalence of chlamydia infection was 8.5%; in asymptomatic individuals, it was 5.1%. There was a positive association with chlamydia infection in patients who were HIV-positive, those who reported rectal symptoms and from samples in which microscopy of a rectal smear demonstrated >10 polymorphonuclear cells/high power field. The findings support our continuing to offer rectal chlamydia screening to patients attending our service. Chlamydia trachomatis infection should be considered as a possible diagnosis in patients who present with rectal symptoms outside a genitourinary medicine clinic setting.
authors.affiliation: Marlborough Department of Sexual Health, Royal Free Hospital, Pond St, London NW3 2QG, UK. daniel.ivens@royalfree.nhs.uk
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Ivens
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Macdonald
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Bansi
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Nori
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000554:Ambulatory Care Facilities; D002690:Chlamydia Infections / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology; D002692:Chlamydia trachomatis / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D005260:Female; D006069:Gonorrhea / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008403:Mass Screening / Q000379:methods; D008853:Microscopy / Q000379:methods; D012002:Rectal Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012725:Sexual Behavior; D006113:United Kingdom / Q000453:epidemiology