ArticleEClinicalMedicine2025
Prevalence of chlamydia, gonorrhoea, and trichomoniasis among male and female general populations in sub-Saharan Africa from 2000 to 2024: a systematic review and meta-regression analysis.
Article in EClinicalMedicine, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 14 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.
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14 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it.
- Prevalence and epidemiological patterns of Neisseria gonorrhoeae infection in sub-Saharan Africa, 1964-2025: Systematic review, meta-analyses, and meta-regressions.PLoS medicine · 2026Pooled it
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- Optimal Deployment of Gonorrhoea Point-of-Care Tests: Modeling the Potential Impact of Diagnostic Confirmation Testing and Screening Strategies Across Five Priority Populations in Kenya.The Journal of infectious diseases · 2026Article
- Antigonococcal Activity and Cytotoxicity Screening of Three Ziziphus Species Indigenous to South Africa.Chemistry & biodiversity · 2026Article
- Potential Use of Neisseria meningitidis Serogroup B Vaccines to Prevent Neisseria gonorrhoeae Infection: Epidemiological Considerations.Journal of the International AIDS Society · 2026Review
- Genital inflammation screening for predicting sexually transmitted infections and bacterial vaginosis: an updated cost analysis from the GIFT study in Madagascar, South Africa, and Zimbabwe.BMC women's health · 2026Observational
- Epidemiological Features and Temporal Trends of Five Common Sexually Transmitted Infections Excluding HIV, 1990-2021: Findings From the Global Burden of Disease Study.Journal of medical virology · 2026Article
- When context matters: Multilevel determinants of self-reported sexually transmitted infections symptoms among men engaged in transactional sex in 26 Sub-Saharan African countries.BMC public health · 2026Article
- Long-Term Dynamics of Pelvic Inflammatory Disease Attributable toInternational journal of women's health · 2026Article
- Self-reported sexually transmitted infections and related symptoms among women in Ghana.PloS one · 2026Article
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- Disrupted Cervicovaginal Microbiota: Its Role inInternational journal of molecular sciences · 2025Review
- Molecular prevalence of Chlamydia trachomatis infection among women attending gynaecological clinic for infertility evaluation.BMC women's health · 2025Article
- The burden ofFrontiers in reproductive health · 2025Article
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Abstract
Background: Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) has the highest sexually transmitted infection (STI) prevalence globally, but information about trends and geographic variation is limited by sparse aetiologic studies, particularly among men. This systematic review assessed chlamydia, gonorrhoea, and trichomoniasis prevalence by sex, sub-region, and year, and estimated male-to-female prevalence ratios in SSA. Methods: We searched Embase, MEDLINE, Global Health, PubMed, and African Index Medicus for studies measuring STI prevalence among general populations from 1 January 2000, to 17 September 2024. We adjusted observations for diagnostic test performance and used log-binomial mixed-effects meta-regressions to estimate prevalence trends and sex-prevalence ratios. The study was registered with PROSPERO (CRD42023420384). Findings: Of 5202 records identified, we included 211 studies from 28 countries. In 2020, estimated prevalence among 15-49-year-olds in SSA for chlamydia was 6.9% (95% CI: 5.2-8.7%, n = 169 observations) among females and 4.2% (3.0-5.5%, n = 33) among males, gonorrhoea was 1.8% (1.1-2.5%, n = 171) and 1.5% (0.8-2.2%, n = 31), and trichomoniasis was 7.6% (5.1-10.2%, n = 188) and 1.7% (1.1-2.4%, n = 19). Male-to-female ratios were 0.61 (0.53-0.71) for chlamydia, 0.81 (0.61-1.09) for gonorrhoea, and 0.23 (0.18-0.28) for trichomoniasis. From 2010 to 2020, chlamydia prevalence increased by 34.5% (11.1-62.9%) in SSA, while gonorrhoea and trichomoniasis trends were not statistically significant. Chlamydia and gonorrhoea prevalence were highest in Southern and Eastern Africa, whereas trichomoniasis was similar across sub-regions. Interpretation: SSA has a high, geographically varied STI burden, with increasing prevalence of chlamydia. Region-specific sex-prevalence ratios differed from existing global ratios and should be considered in future burden estimates. Enhanced sex-stratified surveillance is crucial to guide national programmes and reduce STI prevalence in SSA. Funding: Gates Foundation, Imperial College London, NIH, UKRI.
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