TY - JOUR
T1 - Universal lymphogranuloma venereum (LGV) testing of rectal chlamydia in men who have sex with men and detection of asymptomatic LGV
AU - Hughes, Yasmin Jody Jenia
AU - Chen, Marcus Y.
AU - Fairley, Christopher K.
AU - Hocking, Jane Simone
AU - Williamson, Deborah A.
AU - Ong, Jason J.
AU - de Petra, Vesna
AU - Chow, Eric P.F.
N1 - Funding Information:
EPFC, DW and JJO are each supported by an Australian National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) Emerging Leadership Investigator Grant (GNT1172873 for EPFC, GNT1174555 for DW and GNT1193955 for JJO). CKF is supported by an Australian NHMRC Leadership Investigator Grant (GNT1172900). JSH is supported by an NHMRC Senior Research Fellowship (GNT1136117).
Publisher Copyright:
© Author(s) (or their employer(s)) 2022.
PY - 2022/12
Y1 - 2022/12
N2 - Background Lymphogranuloma venereum (LGV) is caused by Chlamydia trachomatis serovars L1-L3. This study determined the positivity for LGV testing before and after introduction of universal LGV testing of positive rectal Chlamydia trachomatis samples in men who have sex with men (MSM). Methods From March 2015 to February 2018, MSM with rectal C. trachomatis were not routinely tested for LGV at the Melbourne Sexual Health Centre unless they had HIV or symptoms of proctitis. From February 2018, universal testing for LGV of all positive rectal C. trachomatis specimens in men over the age of 25 years, regardless of symptoms was undertaken. LGV positivity was defined as the detection of LGV-associated C. trachomatis serovars. Results There were 3429 and 4020 MSM who tested positive for rectal chlamydia in the selective and universal LGV-testing periods, respectively. Of the total 3027 assessable specimens in both periods, 97 (3.2%; 95% CI 2.6% to 3.9%) specimens tested positive for LGV. LGV positivity in the selective testing period was higher than in the universal testing period (6.6% (33/502) vs 2.5% (64/2525), p<0.001). The proportion of LGV cases that were asymptomatic increased from 15.2% (5/33) in the selective testing period to 34.4% (22/64) in the universal testing period (p=0.045). Of the 70 symptomatic LGV cases symptoms included rectal discharge (71.4%, n=45) and rectal pain (60.0%, n=42). Conclusion Universal LGV testing of all positive rectal chlamydia samples in MSM compared with selective testing led to the detection of asymptomatic rectal LGV, which constituted 34% of rectal LGV cases.
AB - Background Lymphogranuloma venereum (LGV) is caused by Chlamydia trachomatis serovars L1-L3. This study determined the positivity for LGV testing before and after introduction of universal LGV testing of positive rectal Chlamydia trachomatis samples in men who have sex with men (MSM). Methods From March 2015 to February 2018, MSM with rectal C. trachomatis were not routinely tested for LGV at the Melbourne Sexual Health Centre unless they had HIV or symptoms of proctitis. From February 2018, universal testing for LGV of all positive rectal C. trachomatis specimens in men over the age of 25 years, regardless of symptoms was undertaken. LGV positivity was defined as the detection of LGV-associated C. trachomatis serovars. Results There were 3429 and 4020 MSM who tested positive for rectal chlamydia in the selective and universal LGV-testing periods, respectively. Of the total 3027 assessable specimens in both periods, 97 (3.2%; 95% CI 2.6% to 3.9%) specimens tested positive for LGV. LGV positivity in the selective testing period was higher than in the universal testing period (6.6% (33/502) vs 2.5% (64/2525), p<0.001). The proportion of LGV cases that were asymptomatic increased from 15.2% (5/33) in the selective testing period to 34.4% (22/64) in the universal testing period (p=0.045). Of the 70 symptomatic LGV cases symptoms included rectal discharge (71.4%, n=45) and rectal pain (60.0%, n=42). Conclusion Universal LGV testing of all positive rectal chlamydia samples in MSM compared with selective testing led to the detection of asymptomatic rectal LGV, which constituted 34% of rectal LGV cases.
KW - chalmydia trachomatis
KW - chlamydia
KW - screening
KW - testing
KW - prevalence
KW - lymphogranuloma venereum
KW - rectal diseases
KW - rectal infection
KW - anal infection
KW - HIV
KW - men who have sex with men
KW - Gay men
KW - Bisexual men
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85131866847&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1136/sextrans-2021-055368
DO - 10.1136/sextrans-2021-055368
M3 - Article
C2 - 35217591
AN - SCOPUS:85131866847
SN - 1368-4973
VL - 98
SP - 582
EP - 585
JO - Sexually Transmitted Infections
JF - Sexually Transmitted Infections
IS - 8
ER -