Correlates of Chlamydia trachomatis infection in a primary care sentinel surveillance network
Megan S. C. Lim A B J , Jane L. Goller A , Rebecca Guy A , Judy Gold A B , Mark Stoove A , Jane S. Hocking C , Christopher K. Fairley C D , Dot Henning E , Kathy McNamee F G , Louise Owen H , Penny Sheehan I and Margaret E. Hellard A BA Centre for Population Health, Burnet Institute, Melbourne, Vic. 3004, Australia.
B Department of Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne, Vic. 3004, Australia.
C School of Population Health, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Vic. 3010, Australia.
D Melbourne Sexual Health Centre, Carlton, Melbourne, Vic. 3053, Australia.
E Centre for Adolescent Health, Royal Children’s Hospital, Melbourne, Vic. 3052, Australia.
F Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Monash University, Clayton, Melbourne, Vic. 3168, Australia.
G Family Planning Victoria, Box Hill, Vic. 3128, Australia.
H The Centre Clinic/Gay Men’s Health Centre, St Kilda, Melbourne, Vic. 3182, Australia.
I The Women’s Hospital, Carlton, Melbourne, Vic. 3052, Australia.
J Corresponding author. Email: lim@burnet.edu.au
Sexual Health 9(3) 247-253 https://doi.org/10.1071/SH11019
Submitted: 8 February 2011 Accepted: 28 July 2011 Published: 19 December 2011
Abstract
Background: Chlamydia is the most commonly notified infection in Australia. Prevention strategies should be informed by routine data on at-risk populations. Methods: We calculated chlamydia positivity and correlates of infection using multivariable logistic regression for data collected between April 2006 and June 2009. Results: Chlamydia positivity was 5.6% in 12 233 females, 7.7% in 10 316 heterosexual males and 6.2% in 7872 men who have sex with men (MSM). Correlates of chlamydia positivity among females included younger age (odds ratio (OR) 2.27, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.92–2.69), being born overseas (OR 1.50, 95% CI 1.25–1.82), multiple sex partners in the past year (OR 1.72, 95% CI 1.40–2.11) and inconsistent condom use with regular sex partners (OR 3.44 ,95% CI 1.65–7.20). Sex work was protective for females (OR 0.68, 95% CI 0.53–0.86). Among heterosexual males, correlates of positivity were younger age (OR 1.87, 95% CI 1.62–2.17), being born overseas (OR 1.35, 95% CI 1.16–1.58), symptoms at the time of testing (OR 1.64, 95% CI 1.40–1.92) and multiple sex partners in the past year (OR 1.83, 95% CI 1.46–2.30). Correlates of positivity among MSM were being born overseas (OR 1.23, 95% CI 1.00–1.51), being HIV-positive (OR 1.80, 95%CI 1.32–2.47), and reporting six or more anal sex partners in the past 6 months (OR 4.45, 95% CI 1.37–14.5). Conclusions: Our analysis identified subgroups at the highest risk of chlamydia in Victoria. These estimates will provide important baseline information to measure the impact of chlamydia control strategies.
Additional keywords: Australia, proportion positive, risk factors, sexually transmissible infections.
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