Vol.55 No.2 March 2007
Chlamydia trachomatis infection among high school student
Department of Epidemiology, National Institute of Public Health,
2-3-6 Minami, Wako, Saitama, Japan
Abstract
The prevalence of symptomatic chlamydial infection in patients who visit medical facilities has been documented, but the number of asymptomatic patients, accounting for the majority of infected individuals, remains unclear. Although increasing concern has been expressed about the spread of infection among teenagers due to a drop in age at which individuals become sexually active, epidemiological information continues to be insufficient. Large scale screening research on asymptomatic chlamydial infection targeting young subjects including high school students has been initiated. This paper focuses on, (1) research on university and technical school students prior to large-scale research and (2) large-scale research targeting high school students will be explained. The frequency of infection in teenagers and prevention based on research results described using results of this research.
The prevalence of chlamydial infection in sexually active male and female university and special technical school students aged 18 years or older who are asymptomatic was 8.3% (female 9.1%, male 7.0%). By age, the prevalence of chlamydial infection in 18 to 19-year-old females was 13.4%, suggesting that the rate of teenage infection is serious. The spread of infection among high school students, the majority of teenagers, is an urgent concern, lending impetus to large-scale research targeting high school students.
In a screening of 5,000 high school students, the prevalence of asymptomatic chlamydial infection became apparent for the first time. Prevalence of the infection is 13.1% among female high school students and 6.6% among male high school students, leaving no doubt of the presence of epidemic infection among teenagers. The prevalence of infection was 3.9% in the United States (female high school students in California in 2003) and 2.1% in Sweden (female high school students in Uppsala in 1994). Infection in Japan thus appears to be expanding fastest among developed countries.
Research results suggest that concrete measures required are (1) targeting of teenagers for epidemic prevention; (2) implementation of measures for epidemic prevention based on data including gender, age, and risk factors; and (3) quick action in cooperation with government agencies, regional medical associations, and individuals involved in school education.
Key word
teenager, carrier, prevalence, Chlamydia trachomatis, prevention
Received
August 14, 2006
Accepted
November 13, 2006
Jpn. J. Chemother. 55 (2): 135-142, 2007
