Abstract
Efforts to map the burden of infections globally have shown a high prevalence of genital infections, including Chlamydia trachomatis, in sub-Saharan Africa. This retrospective study aimed to investigate the prevalence of selected non-viral genital infections among pregnant women in Pemba Island, Tanzania. Vaginal swabs were collected during pregnancy and stored in eNAT buffer. Detection of C. trachomatis, Neisseria gonorrheae, Trichomonas vaginalis, and Mycoplasma genitalium pathogens was performed by PCR using validated detection kits. Vaginal samples of 439 pregnant women between 16 and 48 years were tested. In fifty-five (12.5%) of them, at least one genital pathogen was detected. The most prevalent pathogen was T. vaginalis (7.1%), followed by C. trachomatis (4.6%) and M. genitalium (2.1%). None of the vaginal samples tested positive for N. gonorrheae. Consequently, among positive samples, 7.3% were for C. trachomatis and at least one other genital pathogen. This study provides insights on the burden of the four studied genital infections, and on the coinfections among pregnant women in Pemba Island, Tanzania. These results offer a starting point that can be useful to design further research in the field of maternal and child health in Pemba Island.
Highlights
Transmitted infections (STIs) are one of the most prevalent communicable diseases globally [1]
One woman reported that she had been previously diagnosed with human immunodeficiency virus/acquired immune deficiency syndrome (HIV/AIDS)
The prevalence of C. trachomatis infection was 4.6%, of T. vaginalis 7.1%
Summary
Transmitted infections (STIs) are one of the most prevalent communicable diseases globally [1]. Between 2009 and 2016, the sub-Saharan African region bore 40% of the global burden of STIs, with a prevalence of 20.2% curable STIs (Chlamydia trachomatis, Neisseria gonorrhoeae, Treponema pallidum, and Trichomonas vaginalis) among women of reproductive age [1,3]. C. trachomatis infection is burdensome on residents of low- and middle-income countries, were the burden of adverse pregnancy outcomes is already high [2]. In approximately 60 to 80% of the cases, the infection with C. trachomatis might not manifest and remains asymptomatic [8]. This is unfortunate since the treatment strategy in most low-income countries has a syndromic approach, making it challenging to diagnose and eradicate this pathogen [8].
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
