Screening Belgian university students for Chlamydia trachomatis infection: a feasibility study.
In this study we examine the attainability and usefulness of opportunistic screening for Chlamydia trachomatis infection based on self-assessed risk, among university students in Belgium.


METHODS
A self-administered questionnaire was filled out by students (n = 243, 77.8% female, 22.2% male), who were asked to assess their own risk, to decide if their participation was useful, and to collect a first-void urine sample. Specimens were refrigerated and delivered to the laboratory on the same day. Screening for C. trachomatis DNA was performed by PCR. A Positive result was confirmed by another amplification assay.


RESULTS
Two hundred forty three students took part in the study. One hundred thirteen participants did not meet the inclusion criteria. Ages varied from 18 to 39 years, with a mean age of 21.49 years. The overall prevalence of C. trachomatis infection was 2.9%. The prevalence of C. trachomatis infection in the group of students who met the inclusion criteria was 5.4%. Having a new partner in the past six months and having had more than one partner in the last year were the most frequent reported risk factors in male and female participants.


CONCLUSIONS
Screening students is a useful and feasible strategy to diagnose asymptomatic chlamydial infection. However assessing their own risk of infection seemed difficult for students. The overscreening of youngsters not at risk and the limited participation of males should get extra attention.
Colliers
Annelies
A
Department of General Practice, University of Antwerp, Belgium.
Verster
Ann
A
Van Puyenbroeck
Karolien
K
Stalpaert
Michel
M
Van Royen
Paul
P
Verhoeven
Veronique
V
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001530:Belgium / Q000453:epidemiology; D002690:Chlamydia Infections / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology; D002692:Chlamydia trachomatis / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D016001:Confidence Intervals; D004269:DNA, Bacterial / Q000652:urine; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008403:Mass Screening; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D015995:Prevalence; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012307:Risk Factors; D013334:Students; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014495:Universities; D055815:Young Adult
D004269:DNA, Bacterial