Screening for Chlamydia and Gonorrhea in Men Who Have Sex with Men
Author Information
Author(s): Remco PH Peters, Stephan P Verweij, Noëmi Nijsten, Sander Ouburg, Johan Mutsaers, Casper L Jansen, A Petra van Leeuwen, Servaas A Morré
Primary Institution: The Hague Municipal Health Services, STI clinic, The Hague, The Netherlands
Hypothesis
Is sexual history-based screening effective for detecting chlamydia and gonorrhea in MSM?
Conclusion
Sexual-history based screening of multiple anatomic sites for chlamydia and gonorrhea in MSM is more effective than symptom-based screening.
Supporting Evidence
- The majority of chlamydia cases involved a single anatomic site, especially anorectal infections.
- 83% of anorectal infections would have remained undiagnosed with a symptom-based protocol.
- The overall prevalence of chlamydia was 10% and gonorrhea was 7.7%.
Takeaway
This study shows that asking about sexual history helps doctors test the right areas for infections in men who have sex with men, which can catch more cases.
Methodology
Data from 1455 consultations were analyzed, focusing on sexual history to determine testing for chlamydia and gonorrhea at various anatomic sites.
Potential Biases
Potential bias due to reliance on self-reported sexual history.
Limitations
Some clients may have multiple visits, and not all symptoms were systematically recorded.
Participant Demographics
Median age of participants was 38 years; included MSM and three transgender men.
Statistical Information
P-Value
p<0.02
Confidence Interval
95% CI
Statistical Significance
p<0.05
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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