PT - JOURNAL ARTICLE AU - R Hamasuna AU - H Imai AU - H Tsukino AU - J S Jensen AU - Y Osada TI - Prevalence of <em>Mycoplasma genitalium</em> among female students in vocational schools in Japan AID - 10.1136/sti.2007.028670 DP - 2008 Aug 01 TA - Sexually Transmitted Infections PG - 303--305 VI - 84 IP - 4 4099 - http://sti.bmj.com/content/84/4/303.short 4100 - http://sti.bmj.com/content/84/4/303.full SO - Sex Transm Infect2008 Aug 01; 84 AB - Objective: In Japan it was reported that about 9% of sexually active female teenagers had Chlamydia trachomatis. Most of them were asymptomatic, which may lead to continuing spread of the infection. Like C trachomatis, Mycoplasma genitalium is a pathogen in male non-gonococcal urethritis. However, few studies of the prevalence of M genitalium in the general population have been reported. The objective of this study was to determine the prevalence of M genitalium infection among younger females and to determine risk factors for this infection.Methods: The study was conducted between October 2005 and January 2006 using first voided urine specimens and questionnaires from female students of three vocational schools in the Miyazaki prefecture, Japan. C trachomatis was detected with Amplicor™ PCR. M genitalium was detected with inhibitor controlled real-time TaqMan™ PCR detecting the MgPa adhesion gene and with a PCR detecting the 16S rRNA. Risk factors associated with infection of M genitalium or C trachomatis were analysed with Fisher’s exact test.Results: Among 298 female, 249 (84%) had had experience of sexual intercourse. The prevalence of M genitalium was 2.8% (95% CI 0.76% to 4.86%) and the prevalence of C trachomatis was 8.8% (95% CI 5.31% to 12.36%).Conclusions: The risk factors of infection with M genitalium were more than five lifetime sexual partners and co-infection with C trachomatis.