ArticlePloS one2019
Chlamydia trachomatis bacterial load, estimated by Cq values, in urogenital samples from men and women visiting the general practice, hospital or STI clinic.
Article in PloS one, 2019. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 6 papers.
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Who cites it
6 citing papers in PubMed.
- Estimated effect of reduced asymptomatic testing on missedThe Lancet regional health. Europe · 2025Article
- Evaluation of a novel point-of-care lateral flow assay screening for Neisseria gonorrhoeae infection among pregnant women in Zimbabwe.PLOS global public health · 2025Article
- Controversies and evidence on Chlamydia testing and treatment in asymptomatic women and men who have sex with men: a narrative review.BMC infectious diseases · 2022Review
- Diagnosis of Chlamydia trachomatis genital infections in the era of genomic medicine.Brazilian journal of microbiology : [publication of the Brazilian Society for Microbiology] · 2021Review
- The characteristics of patients frequently tested and repeatedly infected with Chlamydia trachomatis in Southwest Limburg, the Netherlands.BMC public health · 2020Article
- Cervical Cytology of Samples withBioMed research international · 2020Article
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Authors and funding
5 authors.
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Abstract
backgroundThe bacterial load of Chlamydia trachomatis (CT) is assumed to play a role in transmission and sequelae. We assessed urogenital CT cycle quantification (Cq) values, as an indicator for CT load, of men and women diagnosed by general practitioners (GPs), hospital physicians and the STI clinic.
methodsUrogenital CT-positive samples (n = 2,055 vaginal swabs, n = 77 cervical swabs, n = 1,519 urine samples and n = 19 urethral swabs) diagnosed by GPs, hospital physicians and the STI clinic from the Maastricht Medical Microbiology Laboratory were included (2012-2016). The outcome measure 'urogenital Cq values' was used as an inversely proportional measure for CT load. Among all patients, multivariate linear regression analyses were used to assess primary determinants for mean urogenital Cq values, stratified by sex. Additional clinical determinants were assessed among STI clinic patients.
resultsIn men, mean urogenital Cq values were similar between GPs, hospital physicians and the STI clinic (32.7 and 33.5 vs. 32.7; p>0.05). Women visiting the GP had lower urogenital Cq values than women visiting the STI clinic (30.2 vs. 30.9; p = <0.001). Women visiting the hospital had higher urogenital Cq values than women visiting the STI clinic (32.4 vs. 30.9; p = <0.001). Among STI clinic women, urogenital Cq values were lower in women with concurrent anorectal CT and in rectally untested women compared to anorectal CT-negative women (30.7 and 30.6 vs. 33.9; p = <0.001).
conclusionMen visiting different STI care providers had similar urogenital Cq values, which could be an indicator for similar CT loads. The lower Cq values of women visiting the GP compared to women visiting the STI clinic could be an indicator for higher CT loads and likely higher transmission potential. Notably, urogenital Cq values of STI clinic women were much lower (>3 Cq) when STI clinic women also had anorectal CT. This finding could indicate higher urogenital CT loads and likely higher chances of transmission and sequelae.
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