Archives of Gynecology and Obstetrics

, Volume 291, Issue 5, pp 1095–1102 | Cite as

Genital tract infection with Chlamydia trachomatis in women attended at a cervical cancer screening program in Northeastern from Brazil

  • Paulo André Freire Magalhães
  • Cleine Aglacy Nunes Miranda
  • Érika Galvão Lima
  • Raíza Nara Cunha Moizéis
  • Diego Breno Soares de Lima
  • Ricardo Ney Oliveira Cobucci
  • Thales Allyrio Araújo de Medeiros Fernandes
  • Jenner Chrystian Veríssimo de Azevedo
  • Paulo Roberto Medeiros de Azevedo
  • Josélio Maria Galvão de Araújo
  • José Veríssimo Fernandes
General Gynecology
First Online:
Received:
Accepted:

Abstract

Purpose

This cross-sectional study aimed to estimate the prevalence of Chlamydia trachomatis (CT) infection alone and in combination with human papillomavirus (HPV). Furthermore, the study investigates whether the CT infection increases the risk of contracting HPV and whether the presence of both pathogens is associated with a higher prevalence of cervical lesions.

Methods

Cervical samples of 1,134 asymptomatic women enrolled in a screening program for cervical cancer were analyzed. Two cervical specimens were collected from each patient, one for cytologic examination and the other for detection of CT by polymerase chain reaction (PCR), using a primer pair which amplifies a specific sequence of the DNA plasmid.

Results

The overall prevalence rate infection was 10.9 %, being 10 % in the women with normal cytology, 13.8 % in those with atypical squamous cells of undetermined significance (ASC-US), and 25 % with low-grade squamous intraepithelial lesion (LSIL). The infection by CT did not increase the risk of acquiring HPV infection. The higher prevalence of LSIL in women co-infected with HPV and CT is possibly due to HPV.

Conclusion

CT infection was more prevalent in younger women aged up to 32 years, who had an early onset of reproductive activity and a history of having had multiple sexual partners lifelong may be at a greater risk of acquiring infection of the genital tract by C. trachomatis.

Keywords

Chlamydia trachomatis Human papillomavirus Risk factors Genital tract infection 
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Notes

Acknowledgments

The research described in this publication was made possible by support from the Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico—CNPq and Fundação de Amparo a Pesquisa do estado do Rio Grande do Norte, FAPERN (grant PPSUS-III).

Conflict of interest

No actual or potential conflict of interest.

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Copyright information

© Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg 2014

Authors and Affiliations

  • Paulo André Freire Magalhães
    • 1
  • Cleine Aglacy Nunes Miranda
    • 1
  • Érika Galvão Lima
    • 1
  • Raíza Nara Cunha Moizéis
    • 2
  • Diego Breno Soares de Lima
    • 2
  • Ricardo Ney Oliveira Cobucci
    • 3
  • Thales Allyrio Araújo de Medeiros Fernandes
    • 4
  • Jenner Chrystian Veríssimo de Azevedo
    • 5
  • Paulo Roberto Medeiros de Azevedo
    • 6
  • Josélio Maria Galvão de Araújo
    • 1
    • 2
  • José Veríssimo Fernandes
    • 1
    • 2
  1. 1.Post-Graduate Program in Biological SciencesFederal University of Rio Grande do NorteNatalBrazil
  2. 2.Department of Microbiology and ParasitologyFederal University of Rio Grande do NorteNatalBrazil
  3. 3.Post-Graduate Program in Health SciencesFederal University of Rio Grande do NorteNatalBrazil
  4. 4.Department of Biomedical SciencesUniversity of Rio Grande do Norte StateMossoróBrazil
  5. 5.Onofre Lopes Hospital, Federal University of Rio Grande do NorteNatalBrazil
  6. 6.Department of StatisticsFederal University of Rio Grande do NorteNatalBrazil

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