Evidence map›Paper›PMID 26713628›Full record

ArticlePloS one2015

Natural Course of Chlamydia trachomatis Bacterial Load in the Time Interval between Screening and Treatment in Anogenital Samples.

J A M C Dirks, G A F S van Liere, S Bogers, N H T M Dukers-Muijrers, P F G Wolffs, C J P A Hoebe

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in PloS one, 2015. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 5 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
5citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

5 citing papers in PubMed.

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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

6 authors.

J A M C DirksDepartment of Medical Microbiology, Maastricht University Medical Center, School of Public Health and Primary Care, Maastricht, the Netherlands.
G A F S van LiereDepartment of Medical Microbiology, Maastricht University Medical Center, School of Public Health and Primary Care, Maastricht, the Netherlands.
S BogersDepartment of Medical Microbiology, Maastricht University Medical Center, School of Public Health and Primary Care, Maastricht, the Netherlands.
N H T M Dukers-MuijrersDepartment of Medical Microbiology, Maastricht University Medical Center, School of Public Health and Primary Care, Maastricht, the Netherlands.
P F G WolffsDepartment of Medical Microbiology, Maastricht University Medical Center, School of Public Health and Primary Care, Maastricht, the Netherlands.
C J P A HoebeDepartment of Medical Microbiology, Maastricht University Medical Center, School of Public Health and Primary Care, Maastricht, the Netherlands.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

introductionAlthough Chlamydia trachomatis (CT) is the most common bacterial sexually transmitted infection worldwide, little is known about the natural course of the bacterial load during infection. We investigated the natural course of the bacterial load in the interval between screening and returning for treatment in genital and anorectal CT-infections. MATERIALS &

methodsCT-positive patients, visiting our STI-clinic in the Netherlands from June 2011-January 2014, provided a second urogenital and/or anorectal sample when returning for treatment (diagnostic sample = T1; treatment sample = T2). Patient-record provided data about the days between samples and the date of last unsafe sex. Included patients were ≥18 years old, HIV-negative and did not report antibiotic use in the study-interval. CT load was quantified using qPCR. CT load was log-transformed, and a CT load difference (Δ-CT load) of >1 log was deemed clinically relevant. Chi-square test compared load category distributions over time (decrease/equal/increase), between sample types.

results274 patients provided 296 paired samples. Majority of samples had a stable CT load in the interval T1-T2 (66.3%, 73.1% and 48.6% for vaginal swabs, urine and anorectal swabs resp. p = 0.07). Load decreased in 17-41% of patients, while ±10% of patients showed an increase in CT load. No association between Δ-CT load and the interval T1-T2 was observed. Large variations can be seen in CT load at T1 and over time. DISCUSSION: The majority (±90%) of patients have a stable or decreasing CT load in the time interval between screening and returning for treatment. The number of days between sampling was not associated with change in CT load. In the first month after the last unsafe sex, only stable CT loads were seen. Our data seems to indicate that when most patients visit an STI-clinic, recommended 2 weeks after infection, the infection has already been established or is in its downward phase.

Indexed as

Bacterial LoadAdolescentAdultAnal CanalChlamydia InfectionsChlamydia trachomatisDisease ProgressionFemaleGenitalia, FemaleHumansMiddle AgedRectumUnsafe SexYoung Adult

Identifiers

PMID26713628
PMCPMC4701017

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.