Original scientific paper
https://doi.org/10.37797/ig.42.4.2
The frequency of detection of sexually transmitted pathogens Chlamydia trachomatis, Neisseria gonorrhoeae and genital mycoplasmas in urethral and cervical swabs from outpatients in the Zagreb region
Sunčanica Ljubin-Sternak
orcid.org/0000-0002-6405-6922
; Andrija Stampar Teaching Institute of Public Health, Zagreb; School of Medicine, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia
*
Nada Pražić
; Andrija Stampar Teaching Institute of Public Health, Zagreb, Croatia
Tatjana Marijan
; Andrija Stampar Teaching Institute of Public Health, Zagreb, Croatia
Neda Jarža Davila
; Andrija Stampar Teaching Institute of Public Health, Zagreb, Croatia
Branko Kolarić
; Andrija Stampar Teaching Institute of Public Health, Zagreb; School of Medicine, University of Rijeka, Rijeka, Croatia
Jasmina Vraneš
; Andrija Stampar Teaching Institute of Public Health, Zagreb; School of Medicine, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia
* Corresponding author.
Abstract
Sexually transmitted infections (STIs) are extremely common cause of morbidity in both sexes of generative age around the world, and have a significant impact on reproductive health. The aim of this study was to determine and compare the frequency of detection of Chlamydia trachomatis (C. trachomatis), Neisseria gonorrhoeae (N. gonorrhoeae), and genital mycoplasmas in the outpatient population in the urban area - the Zagreb region, and to analyse the data in relation to the participants’ age and their corresponding referral diagnosis.
In the period of one year, a total of 4906 samples of cervical swab and 532 male urethral swab specimens were tested for the most common bacterial STIs. C. trachomatis and Mycoplasma genitalium (M. genitalium) were detected using polymerase chain reaction (PCR), while N. gonorrhoeae, Mycoplasma hominis (M. hominis) and Ureaplasma spp. were detected by standard methods of cultivation.
C. trachomatis was detected in 1.8% of cervical swabs and 7.0% of male urethral swabs, M. genitalium in 0.3% of cervical swabs and 1.1% of male urethral swabs, Ureaplasma spp. in 39.7% of cervical swabs and 17.8% of male urethral swabs, and M. hominis in 3.8% of cervical swabs and 1.7% of male urethral swabs. During the study period, N. gonorrhoeae was isolated in 1.1% of males and was not detected in any of the tested females. The overall prevalence of STIs differed significantly with regards to age (P < 0.001) and decreased with patients` age. The highest prevalence of STIs in women was recorded in the age group of adolescents, and in males aged 20-29 years. In women, the prevalence of certain infections did not differ according to referral diagnosis (P > 0.05). In males, C. trachomatis prevalence was highest in patients with referral diagnosis of urethritis (P < 0.001), and N. gonorrhoeae prevalence was highest in patients who had an STI referral diagnosis (P < 0.05).
Low frequency of detection of the most common bacterial pathogens of STIs was the result of the fact that most patients referred for testing did not have symptoms of infection.
Keywords
Hrčak ID:
338849
URI
Publication date:
19.11.2025.
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