Estudo da prevalência da infecção por Chlamydia trachomatis em mulheres com cervicite atendidas em uma Unidade Básica de Saúde de Macapá (AP)

Abstract

Chlamydia trachomatis (CT) is an obligatory Gram-negative intracellular bacteria, with 15 serotypes separated in 3 groups: 4 that cause trachoma, 3 which are the causes of lymphogranuloma venereum (LGV) and 8 which have been associated with genital tract infections non-related to LGV. It is considered the most prevalent cause of bacterial infection in different groups. The most common manifestation in women is cervicitis (cervix inflammation), but CT also causes, most times, an asymptomatic infection (70%), which, when not early diagnosed and properly treated, may cause serious consequences, as chronicle pelvic pain, ectopic pregnancy and infertility. To know the prevalence of Chlamydia trachomatis infection in women presenting suggestive symptoms of cervicitis and assisted in a public primary care unity in Macapá (AP) was the objective of this study. 31 samples were collected from patients seeking gynecologic or family planning services in the UNIFAP’s Policlinic with suggestive symptoms of cervicitis. The material was endocervical fuid collected by using a swab which was tested by imunonofluorescent assay. The prevalence of CT infection was 67.7% (21/31). Among the analyzed variables, only the presence of vaginal discharge was significantly associated to CT infection (odds ratio, OR, 14.25, 95% confidence interval : 2.07-98.14, p = 0.006). The prevalence observed is similar to that obtained in the research by Herkenhoff et al. (2012), in which a high prevalence (56,45%) was shown in São Paulo and Santa Catarina. In both studies the prevalence is above national and international averages. Other groups also verified the association of the positivity to C. trachomatis infection and the symptom of vaginal discharge, and, just like in our study, they did not verify significative associations with other variables such as economic and behavioral ones. This research found a prevalence of 67.7% positive cases for CT infection in the investigated population, which means that in 67.7% of the cervicitis cases, Chlamydia trachomatis was the etiologic agent. No association was found between positivity and economic or behavioral variables. However, a statistically significant association was detected between infection and the symptom of vaginal discharge