Chlamydia trachomatis serovar distribution and other concurrent sexually transmitted infections in heterosexual men with urethritis in Italy

Eur J Clin Microbiol Infect Dis. 2009 May;28(5):523-6. doi: 10.1007/s10096-008-0650-z. Epub 2008 Oct 29.

Abstract

The distribution of Chlamydia trachomatis serovars among 157 heterosexual male patients with urethritis and the presence of coinfections with other sexually transmitted infections were studied. One hundred seventeen (74.5%) patients, with a mean age of 33.7 years, were Italians, whereas 40 (25.5%) were immigrants coming from eastern European countries, Africa, and South America. All the immigrants and 82 (70.0%) Italian patients reported sex with prostitutes. Out of 157 patients, 73 (46.5%) were found positive for C. trachomatis in urethral secretions and eight different C. trachomatis serovars were identified. The most common serovars were E (n = 18; 24.7%), D (n = 15; 20.5%), G (n = 14;19.2%), and F (n = 12; 16.4%). The sequencing data showed a high degree of conservation of the omp1 gene. Thirty-six (46.7%) out of the 73 C. trachomatis-positive patients were coinfected with another sexually transmitted infection. The most common coinfection was gonorrhoea detected in 22 (30.1%) patients, followed by condyloma in eight (8.2%) patients, syphilis in five (6.8%), and HIV in three (4.1%).

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Bacterial Typing Techniques*
  • Chlamydia trachomatis / classification*
  • Chlamydia trachomatis / genetics
  • Chlamydia trachomatis / isolation & purification
  • Comorbidity
  • Conserved Sequence
  • Emigrants and Immigrants
  • Europe, Eastern
  • Gonorrhea / epidemiology
  • HIV Infections / epidemiology
  • Heterosexuality
  • Humans
  • Italy / epidemiology
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Papillomavirus Infections / epidemiology
  • Porins / genetics
  • Prevalence
  • Sequence Analysis, DNA
  • Sequence Homology
  • Serotyping
  • Sexually Transmitted Diseases / epidemiology
  • Sexually Transmitted Diseases / microbiology*
  • Sexually Transmitted Diseases / virology*
  • Urethritis / microbiology*
  • Young Adult

Substances

  • Porins
  • omp1 protein, Chlamydia trachomatis