Chlamydia trachomatis in human immunodeficiency virus-infected men treated at a referral hospital for sexually transmitted diseases in the Amazonas, Brazil.
OBJECTIVE
The aim of the present study was to determine the Chlamydia trachomatis prevalence and to identify the demographic, behavioural and clinical factors associated with C. trachomatis in human immunodeficiency virus infected men.


METHODS
This was a cross-sectional study of C. trachomatis prevalence among human immunodeficiency virus-infected men enrolled at the Outpatient clinic of acquired immunodeficiency syndrome of the Fundação de Medicina Tropical Dr. Heitor Vieira Dourado in Manaus, Amazonas, Brazil. C. trachomatis deoxyribonucleic acid from urethral samples was purified and submitted to real time polymerase chain reaction to identify the presence of C. trachomatis.


RESULTS
A total of 276 human immunodeficiency virus-infected men were included in the study. The prevalence of C. trachomatis infection was 12% (95% confidence interval 8.1%-15.7%). The mean age of the participants was 34.63 (standard deviation 10.80) years. Of the 276 human immunodeficiency virus-infected men, 93 (56.2%) had more than one sexual partner in the past year and 105 (38.0%) reported having their first sexual intercourse under the age of 15 years. Men having sex with men and bisexuals amounted to 61.2% of the studied population. A total of 71.7% had received human immunodeficiency virus diagnosis in the last three years and 55.1% were using antiretroviral therapy. Factors associated with C. trachomatis infection in the logistic model were being single (p<0.034), men having sex with men (p<0.021), and having previous sexually transmitted diseases (p<0.001).


CONCLUSIONS
The high prevalence of C. trachomatis infection among human immunodeficiency virus-infected men highlights that screening human immunodeficiency virus-infected men for C. trachomatis, especially among men having sex with men, is paramount to control the spread of C. trachomatis infection.
Fundação Medicina Tropical Doutor Heitor Vieira Dourado, Manaus, AM, Brazil. Electronic address: ajalkh@gmail.com.
Alex Panizza
AP
Jalkh
Fundação Medicina Tropical Doutor Heitor Vieira Dourado, Manaus, AM, Brazil; Infectious Diseases Unit, Federal University of Espírito Santo, Vitória, ES, Brazil.
Angelica Espinosa
AE
Miranda
Fundação Medicina Tropical Doutor Heitor Vieira Dourado, Manaus, AM, Brazil.
Jose Camilo
JC
Hurtado-Guerreiro
Fundação Medicina Tropical Doutor Heitor Vieira Dourado, Manaus, AM, Brazil.
Lorena Angelica Castano
LA
Ramos
Fundação Medicina Tropical Doutor Heitor Vieira Dourado, Manaus, AM, Brazil.
Guiseppe
G
Figliuolo
Fundação Medicina Tropical Doutor Heitor Vieira Dourado, Manaus, AM, Brazil.
Jussimara
J
Maia
Fundação Medicina Tropical Doutor Heitor Vieira Dourado, Manaus, AM, Brazil.
Cintia Mara
CM
Costa
Fundação Medicina Tropical Doutor Heitor Vieira Dourado, Manaus, AM, Brazil; Universidade Nilton Lins, Manaus, AM, Brazil.
Rajendranath
R
Ramasawmy
Fundação Medicina Tropical Doutor Heitor Vieira Dourado, Manaus, AM, Brazil.
Luiz Carlos
LC
de Lima Ferreira
D017088:AIDS-Related Opportunistic Infections / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001938:Brazil / Q000453:epidemiology; D002690:Chlamydia Infections / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D002692:Chlamydia trachomatis / Q000235:genetics; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D006782:Hospitals, Special; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D060888:Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012307:Risk Factors; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D055815:Young Adult
Amazonas; Chlamydia trachomatis; HIV-infected men; Real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR)