High Prevalence of Chlamydia Trachomatis & Neisseria Gonorrhoeae Infections in Anal & Pharyngeal Sites among Men Who Have Sex with Men & Transgender Women in Lima, Peru

OBJECTIVES:

This study aimed to characterise the epidemiology of Chlamydia trachomatis (CT) and Neisseria gonorrhoeae (NG) infections among men who have sex with men (MSM) and transgender women (TW) in Lima, Peru.

PARTICIPANTS:

We recruited a group of 510 MSM and 208 TW for a subsequent community-based randomised controlled trial. The presence of CT and NG were evaluated using Aptima Combo2 in pharyngeal and anal swabs. We also explored correlates of these infections.

PRIMARY AND SECONDARY OUTCOME MEASURES:

Study end points included overall prevalence of C. trachomatis and N. gonorrhoeae in anal and pharyngeal sites.

RESULTS:

Overall prevalence of CT was 19% (95% CI 16.1% to 22.1%) and 4.8% (95% CI 3.3% to 6.6%) in anal and pharyngeal sites, respectively, while prevalence of NG was 9.6% (95% CI 7.5% to 12.0%) and 6.5% (95% CI 4.8% to 8.5%) in anal and pharyngeal sites, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS:

The prevalence of each infection declined significantly among participants older than 34 years (p<0.05). Efforts towards prevention and treatment of extraurogenital chlamydial and gonococcal infections in high-risk populations like MSM and TW in Lima, Peru, are warranted.

Below:  Trends of prevalence of anal and pharyngeal infections over age group, satisfied by agent and sexual identity

Full article at:   http://goo.gl/fkxwMy

By:  Leon SR1, Segura ER2, Konda KA3, Flores JA4, Silva-Santisteban A4, Galea JT5, Coates TJ3, Klausner JD3, Caceres CF4.

• 1Laboratory of Sexual Health and Unit of Health, Sexuality and Human Development, Cayetano Heredia University, Lima, Peru Department of Global Health, University of Washington (http://globalhealth.washington.edu/), Seattle, Washington, USA Socios en Salud, Lima, Peru.
• 2Escuela de Medicina, Universidad Peruana de Ciencias Aplicadas, Lima, Peru.
• 3Division of Infectious Diseases, School of Medicine, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, USA.
• 4Laboratory of Sexual Health and Unit of Health, Sexuality and Human Development, Cayetano Heredia University, Lima, Peru.
• 5Partners in Health, Boston, Massachusetts, USA. 
• BMJ Open. 2016 Jan 6;6(1):e008245. doi: 10.1136/bmjopen-2015-008245.

More at:  https://twitter.com/hiv insight

And: http://twitter.com/Prison Health