Repeat rectal chlamydia infection is common in men who have sex with men (MSM) following treatment with 1 g azithromycin. This study describes the association between organism load and repeat rectal chlamydia infection, genovar distribution, and efficacy of azithromycin in asymptomatic MSM. Stored rectal chlamydia-positive samples from MSM were analysed for organism load and genotyped to assist differentiation between reinfection and treatment failure. Included men had follow-up tests within 100 days of index infection. Lymphogranuloma venereum and proctitis diagnosed symptomatically were excluded. Factors associated with repeat infection, treatment failure and reinfection were investigated. In total, 227 MSM were included - 64 with repeat infections [28·2%, 95% confidence interval (CI) 22·4-34·5]. Repeat positivity was associated with increased pre-treatment organism load [odds ratio (OR) 1·7, 95% CI 1·4-2·2]. Of 64 repeat infections, 29 (12·8%, 95% CI 8·7-17·8) were treatment failures and 35 (15·4%, 95% CI 11·0-20·8) were reinfections, 11 (17·2%, 95% CI 8·9-28·7) of which were definite reinfections. Treatment failure and reinfection were both associated with increased load (OR 2·0, 95% CI 1·4-2·7 and 1·6, 95% CI 1·2-2·2, respectively). The most prevalent genovars were G, D and J. Treatment efficacy for 1 g azithromycin was 83·6% (95% CI 77·2-88·8). Repeat positivity was associated with high pre-treatment organism load. Randomized controlled trials are urgently needed to evaluate azithromycin's efficacy and whether extended doses can overcome rectal infections with high organism load.
Pharmacology, Toxicology and Pharmaceutical Science
1
3%
Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology
1
3%
Other
3
9%
Unknown
12
34%
Attention Score in Context
Attention Score in Context
This research output has an Altmetric Attention Score of 1. This is our high-level measure of the quality and quantity of online attention that it has received. This Attention Score, as well as the ranking and number of research outputs shown below, was calculated when the research output was last mentioned on 16 June 2016.
All research outputs
#28,770,040
of 34,545,128 outputs
Outputs from Epidemiology & Infection
#4,116
of 4,776 outputs
Outputs of similar age
#265,752
of 340,340 outputs
Outputs of similar age from Epidemiology & Infection
#40
of 49 outputs
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We're also able to compare this research output to 49 others from the same source and published within six weeks on either side of this one. This one is in the 12th percentile – i.e., 12% of its contemporaries scored the same or lower than it.
