Laboratory-Diagnosed Gonorrhea and Chlamydia Infection Rate in the Veteran Population: The Corporal Michael J. Crescenz Veteran Affairs Medical Center (CMCVAMC) Experience

Abstract

Abstract Introduction Sexually transmitted infections (STIs) due to gonorrhea and/or chlamydia remain a major public health problem. Previously, it has been documented in the literature that active duty/deployed military personnel may have a higher incidence of STI infections compared with the general population; however, similar studies for the veteran population (after discharge from military service) appear sparse. For facilities that diagnose gonorrhea and chlamydia by a real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay, an understanding of the expected rate of gonorrhea and chlamydia is helpful for monitoring the assay, both for epidemiological purposes and as a check on assay to detect abnormal trends; therefore, we present the unique experience of the CMCVAMC. Method Quality assurance/improvement quarterly data from October 1, 2013, to December 31, 2018, were reviewed to obtain both the test volume of PCR for gonorrhea and chlamydia as well as the number of positive test results at the CMCVAMC. Testing had been performed using the Abbott m2000 RealTime System (Abbott Park, Illinois). Results A total of 12,856 PCR tests for gonorrhea and chlamydia had been performed on the veteran population; of these, 257 were positive for gonorrhea and 410 were positive for chlamydia. Quarterly percentage rates on a quarterly basis ranged from 1.67% to 5.30% (chlamydia) and 1.01% to 3.25% (gonorrhea) with average rates of 3.29% and 2.01% for chlamydia and gonorrhea, respectively, and expected rates <6% at the CMCVAMC. Conclusions The establishment of the average expected rate of positive laboratory-diagnosed chlamydia and gonorrhea at the CMCVAMC makes a significant contribution to the epidemiological data concerning veterans and provides a valuable benchmark for similar facilities performing quality assurance of their PCR assay for these STIs.