Background: Chlamydia trachomatis is an important pathogen of the urogenital tract. Numerous epidemiologic studies have reported on the prevalence of chlamydia world wide. However, the prevalence of Chlamydia trachomatis in China has not been widely studied.
Goal of this study: To identify Chlamydia trachomatis in three distinct populations in China. Urogenital specimens were collected from men with no prior history of sexual intercourse (virgin), men seen at a sexually transmitted disease clinic, and female prostitutes.
Study design: Two-hundred urethral swabs were collected from group one, and 100 urethral swabs from group two, and 109 cervical swabs from group three. All specimens were tested for chlamydia by tissue culture isolation using McCoy cells and an iodine stain.
Results: Chlamydia trachomatis was not isolated from the virgin males. The prevalence of chlamydia in men seen at a sexually transmitted disease clinic was 13% (13/100) and in female prostitutes, 37.6% (41/109).
Conclusion: The prevalence of chlamydia seen in these three groups is similar to rates found in previous studies done in the United States and Europe in similar populations. Patients with multiple sex partners in China need to be screened for C. trachomatis.