Genotyping and prevalence of Chlamydia trachomatis infection among women in Belém, Pará, northern Brazil

Abstract

Introduction: Genital Chlamydia trachomatis infection is one of the most prevalent sexually transmitted diseases in women, and undetected cases of the disease are highly associated with long-term complications. Despite the high prevalence of infections in Brazil, very little is known about the distribution of C. trachomatis genovars. In this study, we determined the prevalence and genotypes of C. trachomatis in women treated at a public hospital in the Brazilian city of Belém, the capital of the state of Pará. Methodology: A total of 154 women were tested for chlamydial infection by PCR using specific primers for the C. trachomatis cryptic plasmid. Genotyping of positive samples was performed by sequencing the ompA gene and conducting further phylogenetic analysis. Results: Out of the 154 samples, 17 were found to be positive using C. trachomatis cryptic plasmid PCR. The overall prevalence of C. trachomatis infection was 11%, with the highest prevalence observed in women between 16 and 20 years of age. Five genotypes were found to be associated with endocervical infection. Genotype F was most frequently found (37.5%), followed by genotypes J (25%), E (25%), I (6.25%), and D (6.25%). Conclusions: This study emphasizes the relevance of C. trachomatis infection in the young female population of the Brazilian Amazon region. It also demonstrates the diversity of genotypes involved in genital infection in this population.

High prevalence of sexual Chlamydia trachomatis infection in young women from Marajó Island, in the Brazilian Amazon

“…trachomatis infection in young women (≤ 25 years old). High prevalence (11%) [18] and (18%) [19] were also identified in young women from the region’s largest city (Belém).…”

“…Understanding the diversity and distribution of the genotypes is essential for the monitoring of the infection, although few studies are available on the genotypes of sexual C . trachomatis infections in Brazil, and only one has focused on an urban Amazonian population [18]. The vast Marajó Archipelago is located at the mouth of the Amazon River, in the Brazilian state of Pará, and is inhabited by a largely rural population, living in small communities with few public healthcare services or even basic programs focusing on reproductive health [21, 22].…”

Comparison of reverse hybridization and ompA sequencing methods applied on Chlamydia trachomatis strains from Tunisia

“…Next, ompA sequencing was developed. This is still the method of choice for strain differentiation because it is more discriminating than PCR-RFLP and allowed the discovery of new genovariants (Brasiliense, Borges, & Ferreira, 2016;Lan, Ossewaarde, Walboomers, Meijer, & van den Brule, 1994;Lysén et al, 2004;Martínez, Ovalle, Camponovo, & Vidal, 2015;Morré, Ouburg, van Agtmael, & de Vries, 2008). However, sequencing techniques were not really adequate to detect mixed genovar infections.…”

Prevalência da infecção endocervical de Chlamydia trachomatis em universitárias do estado do Pará, Região Amazônica, Brasil

“…As prevalências encontradas na capital Manaus (4,3%) 11 e na zona rural (6,4%) 12 do estado do Amazonas foram inferiores às das estudantes universitárias do presente estudo. Por outro lado, um estudo de base clínica que recrutou mulheres atendidas em uma maternidade de referência, em Belém, registrou prevalência semelhante (11,0%) 19 .…”

“…No Brasil, a prevalência de infecções por C. trachomatis varia entre 4,3% e 31,0%, conforme estudos de base populacional/comunitária de grandes centros urbanos e estudos de base clínica, realizados com participantes frequentadoras de ambulatórios e clínicas ginecológicas 10,11,12,13,14,15,16,17,18,19 . Nas comunidades amazônicas, há escassez de conhecimento sobre a epidemiologia da infecção endocervical por C. trachomatis, o que impossibilita a criação de diretrizes que estabeleçam o rastreio e controle dessa infecção.…”