Chlamydia trachomatis molecular screening in women of poor region of São Paulo: challenges and relevance in low-income regions.

C. trachomatis prevalence in poor women

Abstract

Background and Aim: Chlamydia trachomatis is a gram-negative bacterium. Its infection often presents asymptomatically in women but can lead to severe reproductive complications if left untreated. Among the most frequent sexually transmitted infections (STIs), Chlamydia accounts for around 130 million out of the 374 million new cases globally in 2020 and poor socioeconomic conditions may contribute to this situation, yet C. trachomatis infection is often under-investigated in population in these conditions. Therefore this study evaluates the frequency of C. trachomatis in women living in impoverished areas of São Paulo city.

Methods: Samples were collected from patients at a gynecological outpatient clinic in the far southern region of São Paulo city. The participants were women aged 18 to 78 years. Cervical scraping samples were collected and screened for C. trachomatis using PCR. Additionally, sociodemographic information was gathered through a questionnaire, and clinical data were retrieved from medical records.

Results: Out of 102 samples analyzed through Real-Time PCR, 17 were positive, indicating a prevalence of 16.67% (95% CI) for chlamydial infection in the studied population. There was also a significant association between the frequency of chlamydial infection and the age of the first sexual intercourse (χ² = 34.05, p < 0.0001).

Conclusions: This study reveals a high frequency of chlamydial infection among women attending an outpatient clinic. Our findings emphasize the importance of regular screening to enable early treatment and prevent further reproductive complications.