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  • Spontaneous clearance of urogenital, anorectal and oropharyngeal Chlamydia trachomatis and Neisseria gonorrhoeae in women, MSM and heterosexual men visiting the STI clinic: a prospective cohort study

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Epidemiology
Original article
Spontaneous clearance of urogenital, anorectal and oropharyngeal Chlamydia trachomatis and Neisseria gonorrhoeae in women, MSM and heterosexual men visiting the STI clinic: a prospective cohort study
  1. Genevieve A F S van Liere1,2,
  2. Christian J P A Hoebe3,4,
  3. Jeanne AMC Dirks4,
  4. Petra FG Wolffs5,
  5. Nicole H T M Dukers-Muijrers6
  1. 1 Department of Sexual Health, Infectious Diseases and Environmental Health, Public Health Service South Limburg, Heerlen, The Netherlands
  2. 2 Department of Medical Microbiology, School of Public Health and Primary Care (CAPHRI), Maastricht University Medical Center, Maastricht, The Netherlands
  3. 3 Department of Sexual Health, Infectious Diseases and Environmental Health, Public Health Service South Limburg, Heerlen, The Netherlands
  4. 4 Medical Microbiology, School of Public Health and Primary Care (CAPHRI), Maastricht University Medical Center, Maastricht, The Netherlands
  5. 5 Medical Microbiology, Maastricht University Medical Center, Maastricht, The Netherlands
  6. 6 Department of Sexual Health, Infectious Diseases and Environmental Health, Public Health Service South Limburg, Heerlen, The Netherlands
  1. Correspondence to Genevieve A F S van Liere, Department of Sexual Health, Infectious Diseases and Environmental Health, Public Health Service South Limburg, Heerlen 6400 AA, The Netherlands; Genevieve.vanLiere{at}ggdzl.nl

Abstract

Objective Chlamydia trachomatis (CT) and Neisseria gonorrhoeae (NG) infections can clear without treatment. Despite high prevalence of anorectal infections in men who have sex with men (MSM) and women, studies on anorectal clearance are scarce. Moreover it is unknown whether bacterial load affects urogenital/anorectal CT clearance. In this prospective cohort study, CT and NG clearance is assessed at three anatomical sites of men and women.

Methods CT-positive and NG-positive MSM, heterosexual men and women ≥18 years of age visiting our STI clinic between 2011 and 2013 underwent a repeat test when returning for treatment (n=482). The primary outcome was clearance, defined as a positive nucleic acid amplification test (NAAT) at screening-consultation, followed by a negative NAAT at treatment-consultation. Sociodemographics, sexual risk behaviour and CT bacterial load (inhouse quantitative PCR) were tested as determinants for clearance using multivariable logistic regression for CT and Fisher’s exact test for NG.

Results CT clearance was 9.1% (10/110) for urine, 6.8% (20/292) for vaginal swabs, 12.7% (8/63) for anorectal swabs (ie, 4.0% [1/25] in MSM and 18.4% [7/38] in women) and 57.1% (4/7) for oropharyngeal swabs. For NG this was 33.3% (2/6), 28.6% (2/7), 20.0% (2/10) and 27.3% (6/22), respectively. The number of days between tests (median 10, IQR 7–14) was not associated with clearance. Lower bacterial load at screening was the only predictor for CT clearance (urine mean 1.2 vs 2.6 log CT/mL, p=0.001; vaginal swabs mean 2.1 vs 5.2 log CT/mL p<0.0001; anorectal swabs mean 2.0 vs 3.7 log CT/mL, p=0.002). None of the tested determinants were associated with NG clearance.

Conclusions This study reports the largest number of anorectal infections tested for CT and NG clearance to date. Clearance in all sample types was substantial: between 7% and 57% for CT, and between 20% and 33% for NG (notwithstanding low absolute numbers). CT clearance was associated with a lower load at screening. However, not all individuals with low bacterial CT load cleared the infection, hampering STI guideline change.

  • Chlamydia trachomatis
  • Neisseria gonorrhoeae
  • clearance
  • resolution
  • natural course

https://doi.org/10.1136/sextrans-2018-053825

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    Footnotes

    • Handling editor Jackie A Cassell

    • Contributors NHTMD-M and CJPAH designed the study. GAFSvL was involved in planning and supervision of the study. JAMCD performed laboratory analyses under the supervision of PW. GAFSvL performed statistical analyses under the supervision of NHTMD-M. GAFSvL wrote the first version of the manuscript, and all authors contributed to the final manuscript.

    • Funding The authors have not declared a specific grant for this research from any funding agency in the public, commercial or not-for-profit sectors.

    • Competing interests None declared.

    • Patient consent for publication Not required.

    • Ethics approval The Medical Ethical Committee of Maastricht University approved the study (10-4-066). All study participants provided written informed consent.

    • Provenance and peer review Not commissioned; externally peer reviewed.