Abstract
The prevalence of cervical infection with Chlamydiae trachomatis and Neisseria gonorrhoeae was examined in 135 females receiving gynecologic care in an adolescent clinic. All teenagers, ages 13-18, who needed a pelvic exam, were included in the study. Cultures were obtained in 25 girls who denied sexual activity. In the 110 sexual active girls, C. trachomatis was isolated in 15% and N. gonorrhoeae was isolated in 9%. Neither C. trachomatis nor N. gonorrhoeae was isolated in any of the 25 non-sexually active patients (P < .001). In all 6 patients in the study with a cervical discharge, either N. gonorrhoeae or C. trachomatis was isolated after culture. Cervical erosions, Trichomonas infections, and Candida infections were found in similar frequency in Chlamydiae positive and in Chlamydiae negative patients. Neither oral contraceptive use (n=36) nor condom use (n=23) was found to be associated with the incidence of C. trachomatis or of N. gonorrhoeae. Test of cure was obtained at 7 days in all 26 patients who had had initially positive cultures and antibiotic therapy was 100% effective. These results support the need to screen all sexually active teenagers for Chlamydiae. Appearance of a cervical discharge should alert the clinician to probable sexual transmitted disease. Concerns about the interrelationship of oral contraceptives with Chlamydiae are not supported by this study.
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Figelman, A., Keiser, J., Zawadsky, P. et al. CHLAMYDIA TRACHOMATIS AND NESSERIA GONORRHOEAE INCIDENCE IN FEMALE ADOLESCENTS. Pediatr Res 18 (Suppl 4), 97 (1984). https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-198404001-00023
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-198404001-00023
