Occurrence of Chlamydia trachomatis in military environment on the example of professional soldiers in the Polish Armed Forces (original) (raw)
Related papers
Urogenital Chlamydia trachomatis in the environment of soldiers from the Polish Special Forces
Annals of Agricultural and Environmental Medicine, 2019
Introduction and objective. Urogenital Chlamydia trachomatis is one of the most common sexually transmitted bacterial pathogens. The aim of the study was to present the current occurrence of chlamydial infections among Polish soldiers, sexually-active men and women at reproductive age. Materials and method. The research involved 253 active duty soldiers from the Polish Special Forces, 237 men and 16 women aged 26-57, stationed in Warsaw between October-November 2016. The study participants were asked to fill a socio-demographic questionnaire and then subjected to diagnostic tests. These included a urine test for the presence of Chlamydia trachomatis DNA using the Real-Time PCR assay with fluorescently labeled markers and probes, complementary to plasmid DNA of the bacteria (DNA isolated from urine samples was used as matrix). Results. Chlamydia trachomatis infection was detected in two male soldiers, non-commissioned officers, at mean age 40.5 years (total: 38.0 years); reporting sexual contacts with 2-3 partners in the last 12 months (total: 141 soldiers-1 partner, 66-2-3 partners, 46->4 partners), with no UTI symptoms. Conclusions. Among all the study participants, of whom more than 40% reported sexual contacts with 2-4 or more partners within the last 12 months, only 0.8% were found to be infected. The low prevalence of Chlamydia trachomatis infection can be associated with a regular or frequent use of STI prevention measures during casual sex, or having a single sexual partner.
Chlamydia trachomatis infections in female military recruits
International Journal of Gynecology & Obstetrics, 1998
Asymptomatic genital Chlamydia trachomatis infections in women can lead to pelvic inflammatory disease, infertility, and ectopic pregnancy. To design a chlamydia-control program, we conducted a large survey of women in the U.S. military. From January 1996 through December 1997, urine samples from 13,204 new female U.S. Army recruits from 50 states were screened by ligase chain reaction for C. trachomatis infection. Information on potential risk factors was obtained by questionnaire. With multivariate analysis, we identified criteria for a screening program. The overall prevalence of chlamydial infection was 9.2 percent, with a peak of 12.2 percent among the 17-year-old recruits. The prevalence was 15 percent or more among the recruits from five southern states. The following risk factors were independently associated with chlamydial infection: having ever had vaginal sex (odds ratio for infection, 5.9), being 25 years of age or less (odds ratio, 3.0), being black (odds ratio, 3.4), having had more than one sex partner in the previous 90 days (odds ratio, 1.4), having had a new partner in the previous 90 days (odds ratio, 1.3), having had a partner in the previous 90 days who did not always use condoms (odds ratio, 1.4), and having ever had a sexually transmitted disease (odds ratio, 1.2). A screening program for subjects 25 years of age or less (87.9 percent of our sample) would have identified 95.3 percent of the infected women. Among female military recruits, the prevalence of chlamydial infection is high. A control program that screens female recruits who are 25 years old or younger with urine DNA-amplification assays has the potential to reduce infection, transmission, and the sequelae of chlamydial infection.
Sexually transmitted infections in the military environment
International Maritime Health, 2020
Sexually transmitted infections (STIs) have always been a major health issue affecting military personnel in all types of services and in all armed forces around the world, especially during deployments and in operational settings. Although the research shows that STIs are still reported in the military, the epidemiological risk for contracting a sexually transmitted infection is much lower nowadays than it was in the past. It is important, however, that service members are routinely screened for sexually transmitted diseases. Because of a high prevalence of STIs in the general population as well as the asymptomatic nature of some infections (e.g. HIV, Chlamydia trachomatis), screening of the sexually active service personnel is recommended as a practical method of preventing the spread of STIs and their sequelae, such as pelvic inflammatory disease, ectopic pregnancy, infertility in women or epididymitis, prostatitis, infertility in men. The rates of STIs in service members have been on the increase in recent years, which may be associated with the fact that more and more women are now seeking a career in the armed forces. Currently, STIs do not only affect male soldiers or their civilian sexual partners (either long-term or casual), but both male and female soldiers alike, especially if they are serving together. The article focuses on the prevalence of STIs in the military in the past and at present, the common STI risk factors and prevention measures.
2019
Background/Aim. Chlamydia trachomatis infection (CTI) is an increasing public health problem worldwide and is the most frequent sexually transmitted infection. Studies conducted in many armed forces worldwide showed that CTI is common within military population and generate significant healthcare costs. The aim of this study was to estimate the prevalence of CTI among members of the Serbian Armed Forces (SAF) and to determine risk factors for this infection. Methods. The study was designed as a cross-sectional survey and consisted of completing a questionnaire and chlamydial testing. The questionnaire was divided into two question groups: one was about demographic/service related characteristics and the other was about behavioral patterns/habits. Chlamydia trachomatis real time polymerase chain reaction (Real-TM PCR) was used for detection of pathogen genome specific sequence in the male urethral swabs and in the female endocervical swabs. All data collected were used to compare military personnel with and without CTI. Risk factors independently associated with CTI were identified by the stepwise multivariate logistic regression analysis (MLRA) of variables selected by the univariate logistic regression analysis (ULRA), with a limit for entering and removing variables from the model at 0.05. Results. The overall prevalence of CTI was 55 of 356 respondents (15.4%; 95% CI 0.5-2.7%). The ULRA identified that CTI was significantly associated with several characteristics: number of sexual partners during previous year (p = 0.008), knowledge about symptoms of CTI (p = 0.035), tattooing (p = 0.035) and married or in stable relationship (p = 0.022). The MLRA revealed that number of different sexual partners during last year was independent risk factor of CTI (p = 0.026; OR : 0.344; 95% CI: 0.13-0.88). Conclusion. CTI is significant problem in male and female military personnel in the SAF. The number of different sexual partners during previous year was independently associated with CTI. These finding indicates that screening for CTI should be undertaken in the SAF, to reduce rates of CTI in the SAF and to prevent morbidity due to this infection.
Acquisition of Chlamydia trachomatis by Young Women During Their First Year of Military Service
Sexually Transmitted Diseases, 2008
To define the acquisition rate of Chlamydia trachomatis among a cohort of young, nonhealth-care seeking, sexually active women with well-defined exposure periods over a 12-month period. The long-term goal is to inform public health practitioners and young women of the risk of reinfection with C. trachomatis and the need for frequent active screening to eliminate asymptomatic infections over time. Young sexually active female Marine Corps recruits (N = 332), serving as "controls" for an intervention to prevent sexually transmitted infections, were screened for C. trachomatis using nucleic acid amplification tests (treated if positive) at entry (T1). They were rescreened and completed self-report behavioral surveys at 4 weeks (T2) and 9 to 12 months (T3) from recruit training. The rate of C. trachomatis acquisition during a contiguous 12-month period. Based on microbiologic laboratory testing alone, the acquisition rate for C. trachomatis was 3.6% (T2) and 9.9% (T3) yielding a total of 13.0%. The self-reported acquisition rate for the period since graduation from recruit training was 8.1% yielding a total acquisition rate of 19.9%. The acquisition rate among this cohort of nonhealth-care seeking young women, who have universal health care access is as high or higher than most clinic-based studies, suggesting the need for increased implementation of active screening in primary, urgent, and nonclinic settings.
Parasites & Vectors, 2022
Background: According to the World Health Organization (WHO), more than one million sexually transmitted infections (STIs) are acquired every day worldwide. Although STIs may be asymptomatic in many cases, they can cause severe symptoms and can also lead to adverse pregnancy outcomes and both male and female infertility. Asymptomatic carriers seem to play an important role in terms of the distribution of STIs; however, studies revealing the prevalence of STIs in asymptomatic individuals are rare. Methods: In the current study, 654 leftovers of standard urine samples from healthy, asymptomatic Austrian soldiers were investigated for the prevalence of Trichomonas vaginalis, Chlamydia trachomatis, and genital mycoplasmas (Mycoplasma hominis, Mycoplasma genitalium, Ureaplasma urealyticum, Ureaplasma parvum, and Candidatus Mycoplasma girerdii) by specific PCRs. Results: We detected T. vaginalis, M. hominis, U. urealyticum, U. parvum, and C. trachomatis in the investigated samples with prevalence of 7.6%, 4%, 2.4%, 5.4%, and 3.2%, respectively; neither M. genitalium nor Ca. Mycoplasma girerdii was found in our sample collection. Conclusions: Our study introduces data on STIs of a mainly male cohort, which are scarce because most of the available information on sexually transmitted infectious agents arises from fertility clinics (mainly women) or symptomatic patients.
2016
The number of women on military missions has been increasing recently. While on mi-litary missions, they live in an isolated group dominated by men. Such groups consist of young, sexually active individuals, thus increasing the risk of sexually transmitted infections. Medical examinations were performed on various residual forces (military, police, security guards) totaling 579 individuals, up to 35 years of age (172 women and 407 men). Subjects qualifi ed for the study were divided into 2 groups. Group I consisted of persons who remained in the country. Group II included persons stationed on military missions abroad. A total of 306 soldiers from this group participated in Study 1. Study 2 (clinical and laboratory) was carried out 6-12 months later on 52 patients from Group II and 119 patients from Group I (84 women and 87 men). Additionally, transcription of HPV genes E6 and E7 (with high oncogenic risk) was carried out in the group made up of 200 women. Laboratory examinations inc...
The Journal of Infectious Diseases, 1998
The prevalence of asymptomatic chlamydial and gonococcal infections in male and female military populations was determined using urine-based ligase chain reaction DNA amplification assays (DAAs). Cross-sectional surveys in four military settings revealed an overall prevalence of asymptomatic chlamydial infection of 4.2% (56/1338). This included 3.4% (21/618) of Western Pacific shipboard US Marine Corps enlisted men; 5.2% (21/406) of male marines shore-based in Okinawa, Japan; 2.7% (5/183) of female enlisted US Navy subtender personnel in dry dock; and 6.9% (9/131) of shore-based female naval personnel in San Diego. No gonococcal infections were detected. All subjects were treated within 2 weeks of screening; none of them had progressed to symptomatic disease. General population-based screening for asymptomatic sexually transmitted diseases, and in particular chlamydial infection, can be successfully implemented using urine-based DAA tests. Benefits are maximized in a population in which compliance for follow-up therapy is high.
The Polish Journal of Aviation Medicine and Psychology, 2013
The number of women on military missions has been increasing recently. While on military missions, they live in an isolated group dominated by men. Such groups consist of young, sexually active individuals, thus increasing the risk of sexually transmitted infections. Medical examinations were performed on various residual forces (military, police, security guards) totaling 579 individuals, up to 35 years of age (172 women and 407 men). Subjects qualifi ed for the study were divided into 2 groups. Group I consisted of persons who remained in the country. Group II included persons stationed on military missions abroad. A total of 306 soldiers from this group participated in Study 1. Study 2 (clinical and laboratory) was carried out 6-12 months later on 52 patients from Group II and 119 patients from Group I (84 women and 87 men). Additionally, transcription of HPV genes E6 and E7 (with high oncogenic risk) was carried out in the group made up of 200 women. Laboratory examinations included: peripheral blood morphology, lymphocyte subpopulations by fl ow cytometry method (CD45, CD3, CD19, CD4, CD8 markers and NK cells CD16+CD56 markers), IL-2, IL-4, TNF-α, IFN-γ, IL-18 concentration by fl ow cytometry method. IgG, IgA, IgM concentration by turbidimetric method and