A SURVEY OF THE PREVALENCE OF CHLAMYDIA TRACHOMATIS GENITAL INFECTION AMONGST ANTENATAL CLIENTS IN ZARIA NORTHERN NIGERIA

Abstract

Chlamydia infection are major causes of morbidity among women in devloping countries.They have reported to cause silent infections which has grave consequences. Its infection has been associated with pregnancy related complication and case detection and treatment in pregnancy is essential in improoving preventing the live of women and their new borns and also go a long way in the control of STI in general. In most part of Nigeria, this organism is not screened for and hence relative information about frequencies of the organism are sparse.

Methodology In a cross – sectional descriptive study, 396 antenatal care attendees in Zaria were interview and endocervical swabs collected and tested for active Chlamydia trachomatis infection using the chlamydia rapid test kit.Result The over all prevalence of Chlamydia trachomatis genital infection among the antenatal clients in Zaria is 9.5%, with differential prevalence values of 6.6% and 12.3% amongst symptomatic and Asymptomatic clients at the clinic respectively. Chlamydia trachomatis infection was found to be significantly associated with age as younger pregnant women age 15 –17years were most commonly affected (45.5%). The prevalance was also found to be higher pregnant women who reside in the rural area(12.5% ), of low social class( 14.3%),without skills(14.3%) and in higher order of marnanges ≥ 2 ( 15.9%). Furthermore – early age of marriage ≤ 15 years (p – 0.001 OR – 0.43), higher order of marriage ≥ 2 ( P = 0.001 OR – 0.49) are significant risk of acquiring Chlamydia trachomatis infection. While women who had previous spontneous abortion ≥ 2 (P = 0.004) and previous perterm birth ≥ 2 (P – 0.035) were significantly associated with Chlamydia trachomatis infections.CONCLUSION

The findings of this study suggest that pregnant women in Zaria are at risk for Chlamydia trachomatis infection. Routine prenatal and antenatal screening policy is warranted especially in those who are high risk for the infection and considering the fact that the disease lacks specific symptoms.

A SURVEY OF THE PREVALENCE OF CHLAMYDIA TRACHOMATIS GENITAL INFECTION AMONGST ANTENATAL CLIENTS IN ZARIA NORTHERN NIGERIA