Title: Health implications for Papua New Guinea of chlamydial infections [editorial]

POPLINE Document Number: 132543

Author(s):

Suarkia D
Lupiwa T

Source citation:

PAPUA NEW GUINEA MEDICAL JOURNAL, 1995 Jun;38(2):73-8.

Abstract:

The increasing incidence of chlamydial infections currently being reported worldwide is possibly due to the greater number of cases being detected through the recent use of more sensitive and versatile methods. Chlamydial infections are well established, widespread, and lie undetected in many communities. Chlamydia trachomatis is the most important of the 3 species of human chlamydial pathogens. Such infections are common in Papua New Guinea, where they pose a significant health problem. A multicenter survey on sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) conducted in 5 STD clinics in Port Moresby, Goroka, Rabaul, Lae, and Daru found a positivity rate for chlamydia infection of 7-47% among males and 17-30% among females. Overall prevalence rates for men and women in the study were 26% and 27%, respectively. A prospective study of endocervical prevalence among 181 antenatal patients at Port Moresby General Hospital between December 1990 and January 1991 recorded a prevalence of infection of 18%. Furthermore, a study recently identified C. trachomatis in 57% of eye swabs collected from children with conjunctivitis and in 26% of nasopharyngeal aspirates collected from children with pneumonia. In Papua New Guinea, consistently high prevalence rates are found in both symptomatic and asymptomatic individuals, together with high transmission rates in studies. Eradicating C. trachomatis in the genital reservoir among infected individuals would control and eventually prevent many of the adverse consequences exacted by the infections. Preventing chlamydia is also extremely important in the face of an imminent HIV epidemic in the country.

Keywords:

Papua New Guinea
Literature Review
Chlamydia
Epidemics
Prevalence
HIV Infections
Developing Countries
Oceania
Sexually Transmitted Diseases
Reproductive Tract Infections
Infections
Diseases
Measurement
Research Methodology
Viral Diseases