International travel as risk factor for Chlamydia trachomatis infections among young heterosexuals attending a sexual health clinic in Melbourne, Australia, 2007 to 2017
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Authors
Aung, Ei T.
Chow, Eric P.F.
Fairley, Christopher K.
Hocking, Jane S.
Bradshaw, Catriona S.
Williamson, Deborah A.
Chen, Marcus Y.
Issue Date
2019-10-31
Type
Article
Language
en_US
Keywords
Chlamydia , Risk Factors for Chlamydia , Travellers , Sexually Transmitted Infections , STIs , Sexually Transmitted Diseases
Alternative Title
Abstract
Background:
International travel is considered a risk factor for acquiring Chlamydia trachomatis; however, there are little empirical data to support this.
Aim:
To examine the prevalence and risk factors for Chlamydia trachomatis infections among heterosexual international travellers (n = 28,786) attending the Melbourne Sexual Health Centre (MSHC), Australia, compared to Australian residents (n = 20,614).
Methods
We conducted a repeated cross-sectional study and analysed sexual behaviours and chlamydia positivity among heterosexual males and females aged ≤ 30 attending MSHC for the first time between January 2007 and February 2017. ‘Travellers’ were defined as individuals born outside of Australia who had resided in the country < 2 years. Associations between patient characteristics and chlamydia positivity were examined.
Results:
Chlamydia positivity was higher among travellers (11.2%) compared with Australian residents (8.5%; p < 0.001). Male travellers had higher chlamydia positivity (12.1%) than Australian males (9.3%; p < 0.001), as did female travellers (10.4%) compared with Australian females (7.7%; p < 0.001). Travellers had a higher mean number of sexual partners than Australian residents among males (5.7 vs 4.7; p < 0.001) and females (3.6 vs 3.2; p < 0.001). Travellers from the United Kingdom, Europe, Ireland and New Zealand accounted for 29.6%, 21%, 8.5% and 5.8% of C. trachomatis infections, respectively. Chlamydia in males and females was associated with younger age (≤ 25), inconsistent condom use, a higher number of sexual partners (≥ 4 partners) and being a traveller (p < 0.001).
Conclusions:
We found that international travel is an independent risk factor for chlamydia among young heterosexual travellers in Australia, who should therefore be a target group for chlamydia prevention.
Description
Citation
Aung, E. T., Chow, E. P., Fairley, C. K., Hocking, J. S., Bradshaw, C. S., Williamson, D. A., & Chen, M. Y. (2019). International travel as risk factor for Chlamydia trachomatis infections among young heterosexuals attending a sexual health clinic in Melbourne, Australia, 2007 to 2017. Euro surveillance : bulletin Europeen sur les maladies transmissibles = European communicable disease bulletin, 24(44), 1900219. https://doi.org/10.2807/1560-7917.ES.2019.24.44.1900219
Publisher
Euro Surveillance : Bulletin Europeen Sur Les Maladies Transmissibles = European Communicable Disease Bulletin