Prevalence and risk factors of asymptomatic Neisseria gonorrhoeae and Chlamydia trachomatis infections in Shenzhen, China.
Abstract Objective The aim of this study was to investigate the prevalence and proportion of laboratory-confirmed urethral Chlamydia trachomatis (CT) and Neisseria gonorrhoeae (NG) infections that were asymptomatic among individuals presenting to different clinics in Shenzhen and the risk factors related to STI infections in this population.Methods In a cross-sectional study, 8,309 eligible individuals were invited to participate in a questionnaire interview, and urine specimens were collected for identification of CT and NG infections. Corresponding outcomes were analyzed by Chi-square test and multivariate logistic regression.Results Among 7070 participants who completed the questionnaire and provided the urine specimen, 2871 were asymptomatic and included in our analyses: 1120 (39.0%) males and 1751 (61.0%) females. The prevalence of NG and CT was 0.9% and 6.2% among males reporting no symptoms, and 0.4% and 7.9% among females reporting no symptoms, respectively. The proportion of asymptomatic urethral CT among males with urethral CT was 28.3%; for females, it was 34.2%. For asymptomatic males with urethral NG/CT, 3 independent risk factors were identified: (1) males under the age of 30 (OR, 1.75; 95% CI, 1.07-2.84); (2) being employed in the commercial service work (2.69; 1.33-5.45); and (3) being recruited through the urological department (2.18; 1.24-3.83). For asymptomatic females with urethral NG/CT, 2 independent risk factors were identified: (1) females under the age of 30 (OR, 1.80; 95% CI, 1.25-2.58); and (2) being recruited through the dermatological department (2.83; 1.46-5.46).Conclusion A substantial prevalence of asymptomatic CT infections was found among males and females presenting to clinics in Shenzhen. The significant correlation between asymptomatic CT infection and these risk factors could help identify high-risk populations and guide screening.