Prevalence of infections by Chlamydia trachomatis and Neisseria gonorrhoeae among high school students in the Sabana Central area of Cundinamarca, Colombia

Introduction: Infections by Chlamydia trachomatis and Neisseria gonorrhoeae are the two most common bacterial sexually transmitted infections in the world. These infections affect principally less than 25-year-old individuals with sexual, reproductive and maternal and child health consequences. Objective: This study sought to estimate the prevalence of C. trachomatis and N. gonorrhoeae among high school students in the 11 municipalities of the Sabana Central area of Cundinamarca, Colombia. Materials and methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among 14 to 19-year old adolescents attending schools in the study area. After signing their consent, participants completed a questionnaire and provided a urine sample for the detection of C. trachomatis and N. gonorrhoeae by real-time polymerase chain reaction. Results: In the sample of 972 sexually active adolescents, the prevalence of C. trachomatis and N. gonorrhoeae was 2.24% and 0.10%, respectively. No co-infections were detected. Overall, 21.4% of women who tested positive for C. trachomatis were asymptomatic. Significant relationships were found between C. trachomatis infection and female gender, the consumption of alcohol or other substances during the previous sexual relationship, having one or more partners and the presence of sexually transmitted infections. Conclusions: The prevalence of C. trachomatis detected in this study was lower than the prevalence reported for similar groups; besides, contrary to the general trends, fewer asymptomatic cases were identified in this study. To prioritize preventive strategies in high-risk populations, an epidemiological surveillance system for C. trachomatis and N. gonorrhoeae should be implemented in Colombia, with screening performed using non-invasive molecular techniques.