Epidemiology of Trichomoniasis in South Korea and Increasing Trend in Incidence, Health Insurance Review and Assessment 2009-2014.

So-Young Joo,Won Kee Lee,Jae-Sook Ryu,Sang-Eun Lee,Youn-Kyoung Goo,Dong-Il Chung,Yeonchul Hong

doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0167938

Abstract

Trichomoniasis, which is caused by Trichomonas vaginalis, is one of the most common non-viral sexually transmitted infections; however, limited population-based data are available that describe patterns and trends of the disease. We summarized insurance claims of trichomoniasis cases reported during 2009–2014 to South Korea Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service. The average annual incidence in South Korea was 276.8 persons per 100,000 population, and a substantial sex-associated variation was observed. The incidence rate among female subjects trended upward over 6 years, that is, it increased from 501 in 2009 to 625.8 in 2014 per 100,000 female population, which indicates a 25% overall increase. This trend was sharpest in the ≥60 years group of female population. However, a 66% decrease in incidence rates was observed among male subjects (23.7 in 2009 to 15.7 in 2014 per 100,000 male population). Further, substantial decrease was observed in the ≥40 years groups of male population. The incidence of trichomoniasis varied across regions and was the highest in Jeju province of South Korea. Overall, as the incidence of trichomoniasis appears to have increased in South Korea during 2009–2014, the disease burden is increasing; hence, there is a need to better understand the disease transmission.

Highlights

Trichomoniasis caused by the Trichomonas vaginalis (T. vaginalis) manifests vaginitis and cervicitis in women, and serious complications including infertility, preterm birth, and pelvic inflammatory disease potentially occur [1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8]
The incidence and prevalence of trichomoniasis varies by the surveillance population, time, and region; high incidence rate is generally presented in women and older groups compared to men or younger groups, which is inconsistent with other sexually transmitted diseases (STDs), such as chlamydia or gonorrhea [16]
This study determined the incidence of trichomoniasis in South Korea and examined the incidence rates of trichomoniasis with age, sex, and region-specific differences from 2009–2014 using clinical data that were obtained from the national health insurance database containing the claims-related data for all the healthcare facilities in South Korea

Summary

Introduction

Trichomoniasis caused by the Trichomonas vaginalis (T. vaginalis) manifests vaginitis and cervicitis in women, and serious complications including infertility, preterm birth, and pelvic inflammatory disease potentially occur [1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8]. The incidence and prevalence of trichomoniasis varies by the surveillance population, time, and region; high incidence rate is generally presented in women and older groups compared to men or younger groups, which is inconsistent with other STDs, such as chlamydia or gonorrhea [16]. Various prevalence levels of trichomoniasis have been reported in South Korea depending on the researchers and study populations [21]. Population-based data about the incidence and trends of trichomoniasis in South Korea are limited. It is imperative for men and women to monitor changes associated with trichomoniasis in order to develop appropriate preventive measures and control programs for reducing the disease burden. This study determined the incidence of trichomoniasis in South Korea and examined the incidence rates of trichomoniasis with age-, sex-, and region-specific differences from 2009–2014 using clinical data that were obtained from the national health insurance database containing the claims-related data for all the healthcare facilities in South Korea

Methods

Results

Conclusion