TY - JOUR
T1 - Chlamydia trachomatis Seroepidemiology and Associated Factors in Fertility Treatment-Seeking Patients in the Abu Dhabi Emirate, United Arab Emirates
AU - Abdo, Noor Motea
AU - Aslam, Irfan
AU - Irfan, Shazia
AU - George, Junu A.
AU - Alsuwaidi, Ahmed R.
AU - Ahmed, Luai A.
AU - Al-Rifai, Rami H.
N1 - Funding Information:
Conflict of Interest and Sources of Funding: The authors report no conflicts of interest. The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest. This study was funded by the Zayed Center for Health Sciences, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, United Arab Emirates University (grant no. 31R181).
Publisher Copyright:
© 2023 The Author(s). Published by Wolters Kluwer Health,Inc.
PY - 2023/9/1
Y1 - 2023/9/1
N2 - Purpose This study was designed to investigate the seroepidemiology of and identify factors associated with exposure to Chlamydia trachomatis (C. trachomatis) in fertility treatment-seeking patients in Abu Dhabi Emirate, United Arab Emirates. Methods A total of 308 fertility treatment-seeking patients were surveyed. Seroprevalence of past (IgG positive), current/acute (IgM positive), and active infection (IgA positive) with C. trachomatis was quantified. Factors associated with exposure to C. trachomatis were identified. Results Overall, 19.0%, 5.2%, and 1.6% found to have past, acute/recent, and ongoing active infection with C. trachomatis, respectively. Overall, 22.0% of the patients were seropositive to any of the 3 to C. trachomatis antibodies. Male compared with female patients (45.7% vs. 18.9%, P < 0.001) and current/ex-smokers compared with nonsmokers (44.4% vs. 17.8%) had higher seropositivity. Patients with a history of pregnancy loss had higher seropositivity compared with other patients (27.0% vs. 16.8%), particularly recurrent pregnancy losses (33.3%). Current smoking (adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 3.8; 95% confidence interval, 1.32-11.04) and history of pregnancy loss (adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 3.0; 95% confidence interval, 1.5-5.8) were significantly associated with higher odds of exposure to C. trachomatis. Conclusions The observed high seroprevalence of C. trachomatis, particularly in patients with a history of pregnancy loss, possibly indicates the contribution of C. trachomatis to the growing burden of infertility in the United Arab Emirates.
AB - Purpose This study was designed to investigate the seroepidemiology of and identify factors associated with exposure to Chlamydia trachomatis (C. trachomatis) in fertility treatment-seeking patients in Abu Dhabi Emirate, United Arab Emirates. Methods A total of 308 fertility treatment-seeking patients were surveyed. Seroprevalence of past (IgG positive), current/acute (IgM positive), and active infection (IgA positive) with C. trachomatis was quantified. Factors associated with exposure to C. trachomatis were identified. Results Overall, 19.0%, 5.2%, and 1.6% found to have past, acute/recent, and ongoing active infection with C. trachomatis, respectively. Overall, 22.0% of the patients were seropositive to any of the 3 to C. trachomatis antibodies. Male compared with female patients (45.7% vs. 18.9%, P < 0.001) and current/ex-smokers compared with nonsmokers (44.4% vs. 17.8%) had higher seropositivity. Patients with a history of pregnancy loss had higher seropositivity compared with other patients (27.0% vs. 16.8%), particularly recurrent pregnancy losses (33.3%). Current smoking (adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 3.8; 95% confidence interval, 1.32-11.04) and history of pregnancy loss (adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 3.0; 95% confidence interval, 1.5-5.8) were significantly associated with higher odds of exposure to C. trachomatis. Conclusions The observed high seroprevalence of C. trachomatis, particularly in patients with a history of pregnancy loss, possibly indicates the contribution of C. trachomatis to the growing burden of infertility in the United Arab Emirates.
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U2 - 10.1097/OLQ.0000000000001842
DO - 10.1097/OLQ.0000000000001842
M3 - Article
C2 - 37277894
AN - SCOPUS:85167844458
SN - 0148-5717
VL - 50
SP - 583
EP - 590
JO - Sexually Transmitted Diseases
JF - Sexually Transmitted Diseases
IS - 9
ER -
