title: Asymptomatic Mycoplasma genitalium infection amongst marginalised young people accessing a youth health service in Melbourne.
abstract: We conducted a study to establish the prevalence of Mycoplasma genitalium amongst asymptomatic young people experiencing homelessness in the context of comprehensive health care delivery. All asymptomatic young people at risk of sexually transmitted infections were offered urinary polymerase chain reaction testing for M. genitalium whilst being tested for Chlamydia trachomatis and Neisseria gonorrhoeae over a four-month period in 2012. Those who tested positive were notified of the infection and offered treatment. Sixty asymptomatic young people (36 female and 24 male) were tested for M. genitalium, identifying eight cases (13%) (six female and two male). Ten young people (17%) tested positive for C. trachomatis, three (5%) of whom were positive for both M. genitalium and C. trachomatis. There were no cases of N. gonorrhoeae. Of the eight cases of M. genitalium, seven were contactable and five were treated at our clinic with azithromycin 1 g stat. Two of the five returned after a month for a test of cure, identifying one resistant infection. Further data on the epidemiology of M. genitalium are required before testing recommendations can be made; however, consideration should be given to testing for M. genitalium in settings where other sexually transmitted infections are prevalent.
authors.affiliation: Young People's Health Service, Centre for Adolescent Health, Royal Children's Hospital, Melbourne, Australia.
authors.forename: Dorothy
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Henning
authors.forename: Donna
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Eade
authors.forename: Alison
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Langstone
authors.forename: Alison
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bean-Hodges
authors.forename: Alexandra
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Marceglia
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Azzopardi
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D058345:Asymptomatic Infections / Q000453:epidemiology*; D001315:Australia / Q000453:epidemiology; D002648:Child; D003191:Comprehensive Health Care / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D006297:Health Services Accessibility; D018453:Homeless Youth; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009175:Mycoplasma Infections / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D045704:Mycoplasma genitalium / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D015995:Prevalence; D012749:Sexually Transmitted Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology; D035862:Vulnerable Populations; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Australia; Mycoplasma genitalium; Sexually transmitted infection; adolescent; asymptomatic; female; male; marginalised; screening; young people