title: Low prevalence of Chlamydia trachomatis infection in non-urban pregnant women in Vellore, S. India.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine the prevalence and risk factors for Chlamydia trachomatis (CT) infection in pregnant women and the rate of transmission of CT to infants.
  
  
  METHODS
  Pregnant women (≥28 weeks gestation) in Vellore, South India were approached for enrollment from April 2009 to January 2010. After informed consent was obtained, women completed a socio-demographic, prenatal, and sexual history questionnaire. Endocervical samples collected at delivery were examined for CT by a rapid enzyme test and nucleic acid amplification test (NAAT). Neonatal nasopharyngeal and conjunctival swabs were collected for NAAT testing.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Overall, 1198 women were enrolled and 799 (67%) endocervical samples were collected at birth. Analyses were completed on 784 participants with available rapid and NAAT results. The mean age of women was 25.8 years (range 18-39 yrs) and 22% (95% CI: 19.7-24.4%) were primigravida. All women enrolled were married; one reported >one sexual partner; and six reported prior STI. We found 71 positive rapid CT tests and 1/784 (0.1%; 95% CI: 0-0.38%) true positive CT infection using NAAT.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  To our knowledge, this is the largest study on CT prevalence amongst healthy pregnant mothers in southern India, and it documents a very low prevalence with NAAT. Many false positive results were noted using the rapid test. These data suggest that universal CT screening is not indicated in this population.
authors.affiliation: Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, Ohio, United States of America. nkvidwan@gmail.com
authors.forename: Navjyot K
authors.initials: NK
authors.lastname: Vidwan
authors.forename: Annie
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Regi
authors.forename: Mark
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Steinhoff
authors.forename: Jill S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Huppert
authors.forename: Mary Allen
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Staat
authors.forename: Caitlin
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Dodd
authors.forename: Rida
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Nongrum
authors.forename: Shalini
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Anandan
authors.forename: Valsan
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Verghese
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002690:Chlamydia Infections / Q000453:epidemiology*; D002692:Chlamydia trachomatis / Q000472:pathogenicity*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007194:India / Q000453:epidemiology; D011247:Pregnancy; D015995:Prevalence; D055815:Young Adult