Chlamydia trachomatis, Mycoplasma genitalium, herpes simplex virus (HSV) and human papillomavirus (HPV) cause sexually transmitted infections. In addition, human herpesvirus 6 (HHV-6) may be a genital co-pathogen. The prevalence rates of HSV, HHV-6, HPV, M. genitalium, and the C. trachomatis ompA genotypes were investigated by PCR in urogenital samples of the C. trachomatis nucleic acid amplification test positive (n = 157) and age-, community- and time-matched negative (n = 157) women. The prevalence of HPV DNA was significantly higher among the C. trachomatis positives than the C. trachomatis negatives (66% vs. 25%, p < 0.001). The prevalence of HSV (1.9% vs. 0%), HHV-6 (11% vs. 14%), and M. genitalium DNA (4.5% vs. 1.9%) was not significantly different between the C. trachomatis-positive and -negative women. Thirteen per cent of test-of-cure specimens tested positive for C. trachomatis. The prevalence of HSV, HHV-6, HPV, M. genitalium, and the C. trachomatis ompA genotypes did not significantly differ between those who cleared the C. trachomatis infection (n = 105) and those who did not (n = 16). The higher prevalence of HPV DNA among the C. trachomatis positives suggests greater sexual activity and increased risk for sexually transmitted pathogens.
Keywords: chlamydial co-infection; sexually transmitted infection.