title: Home sampling and pooling of vaginal samples are effective tools for genetic screening of Chlamydia trachomatis among high school female students in Lithuania.
abstract: The aims were 1) to estimate the prevalence of C. trachomatis infection among sexually active female students in Kaunas, Lithuania; 2) to investigate the usefulness of personal invitation, self-sampling, and pooling of samples for screening; and 3) to evaluate the costs of the approaches used. A cross-sectional study inviting 795 female students (18-31 y of age) from 7 high schools and 1 college in Kaunas was performed. The response rate was 67% (533/795). Self-obtained vaginal samples were analysed, individually and pooled (n = 3), using Digene Hybrid Capture II CT/NG Test. The overall prevalence of C. trachomatis infection was 5.6%. Among the sexually active female students 20-24 y of age (n = 424), the prevalence was 7.1%; however, the prevalence varied from 0% to 14.2% at the different schools. For estimation of the population prevalence based solely on identification of C. trachomatis positive pools, the pooling strategy reduced the costs by 85%. For estimation of population prevalence and for diagnosis of each individual sample, pooling reduced the costs by 70%. Targeted screening, using pooling to reduce the expenses, mainly of 3rd and 4th y Lithuanian female students could be recommended. By extended personal contact and internet-based communication, increased participation rates may be attained.
authors.affiliation: Department of Skin and Venereal Diseases, Kaunas University of Medicine, Kaunas, Lithuania.
authors.forename: Vesta
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Kucinskiene
authors.forename: Violeta
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Juseviciute
authors.forename: Skaidra
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Valiukeviciene
authors.forename: Zemyna
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Milasauskiene
authors.forename: Magnus
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Unemo
authors.forename: Marius
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Domeika
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002690:Chlamydia Infections / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology; D002692:Chlamydia trachomatis / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification; D003362:Cost-Benefit Analysis; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008097:Lithuania / Q000453:epidemiology; D008403:Mass Screening / Q000379:methods*; D020411:Oligonucleotide Array Sequence Analysis; D015995:Prevalence; D012648:Self Care / Q000379:methods*; D012725:Sexual Behavior; D013048:Specimen Handling; D013334:Students; D014623:Vaginal Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology; D014626:Vaginal Smears / Q000379:methods