title: Seroprevalence of Chlamydia trachomatis in Enugu, Nigeria.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Chlamydia infections in women cause pelvic inflammatory disease, which often results in devastating consequences of infertility, ectopic pregnancy, or chronic pelvic pain. The infection is largely asymptomatic.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To determine the seroprevalence of Chlamydia trachomatis in Enugu, South Eastern Nigeria.
  
  
  METHODS
  A population-based prospective study comprising female residents of Enugu, South Eastern Nigeria. Indirect solid phase enzyme immunoassay of Chlamydia antibodies was done using ImmunoComb C0. Trachomatis IgG Kit (Orgenics).
  
  
  RESULTS
  The population comprised 136 female undergraduate students and 150 non-student women. The overall prevalence of C. trachomatis in the population studied was 29.4%. The percentage of subjects who admitted to be having multiple sexual partners was higher among the student population (71.2%) compared to those from the non-student population (28.8%). The highest percentage of seroprevalence was 28 (33.3%) in the age group of 20-24 years for the student population and 18 (21.4%) in the age group of 25-29 years for the non-student population. The highest seroprevalence of C. trachomatis antibodies (69.0%) in both populations was observed in females without any history of infection. Females that had pelvic inflammatory disease, sexually transmitted infection, and secondary infertility assayed for C. trachomatis had seroprevalence levels of 19%, 9.5%, and 2.4%, respectively. There was a positive correlation between positive Chlamydia assay and the type of subject population (student or non-student) with r2 value of 1.55 at P < 0.01.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  C. trachomatis infection is largely underdiagnosed and remains a silent disease in the apparently healthy population of Enugu, South eastern Nigeria.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology,Anambra State-University Teaching Hospital, Amaku, Awka, Nigeria.
authors.forename: A C
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Ikeme
authors.forename: H U
authors.initials: HU
authors.lastname: Ezegwui
authors.forename: L C
authors.initials: LC
authors.lastname: Ikeako
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Agbata
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Agbata
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial / Q000097:blood*; D002690:Chlamydia Infections / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000382:microbiology; D002692:Chlamydia trachomatis / Q000276:immunology* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007124:Immunoenzyme Techniques; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000097:blood; D015994:Incidence; D017533:Marital Status; D009549:Nigeria / Q000453:epidemiology; D011159:Population Surveillance; D015995:Prevalence; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011933:Reagent Kits, Diagnostic; D016036:Seroepidemiologic Studies; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D011933:Reagent Kits, Diagnostic