The Sero-prevalence and Risk Factors of Chlamydiosis among Women of Reproductive Age in Port Harcourt, Nigeria

Aim: This study is aimed to determine the association between chlamydiosis and some selected risk factors among women of reproductive age in Port Harcourt, Nigeria.

Study Design: The study was a cross-sectional study conducted at Rivers State University teaching hospital.

Place and Duration of the Study: The study was conducted at Rivers State University teaching hospital, Rivers State, Nigeria between March, 2022 and August, 2022.

Methodology: This cross-sectional study included 450 women who ranged in age from 15 to 55 years and met the inclusion criteria after obtaining ethical approval from Rivers state teaching hospital ethics committee. The women were divided into four subgroups: outpatients, immunocompromised patients (HIV clinic patients), pregnant women, and healthy volunteers. Well-structured questionnaires were used to obtain data on risk factors of chlamydiosis on consultancy basis. Healthy volunteers were those who showed no symptoms otherwise regarded as apparently healthy volunteers. The data obtained were analyzed using Chlamydia trachomatis IgG Enzyme Immunoassay test kit.

Results: Out of the 450 samples examined, 45 (10%) tested positive to chlamydia antibodies with the highest prevalence among the immunodeficiency virus subjects (4.2%) and this was followed by the outpatient (2.4%) and healthy volunteers (2.2%). Pregnant women had the lowest seroprevalence rate of 1.1%. The study further revealed that about 78% of the study population heard about chlamydiosis while 22% had no knowledge of it. Statistically, there was no association (p=.06) between awareness parameters and sero-prevalence of chlamydiosis. Similarly, there was no association (p=.08) between person hygiene parameters and sero-prevalence of chlamydiosis. The study equally revealed that there was an association between self-screening for sexually transmitted infection and ever screened for Chlamydia trachomatis as life styles for chlamydiosis (p=.05).

Conclusion: The results of this study indicate a strong correlation between self-screening for Sextually transmitted infections and chlamydia infection and those who have ever had a Chlamydia trachomatis screening. In order to lessen the harmful effects chlamydiosis has on society, particularly among those who are of reproductive age, awareness of the risk factor associated with the disease should also be increased.