Prevalence of Chlamydia trachomatis infection in parturient women in Gipuzkoa, Northern Spain

The prevalence of Chlamydia trachomatis infection in Southern Europe is poorly understood and its identification is essential for the design of appropriate prevention policies. The prevalence of C. trachomatis in 2011–2014 was determined through polymerase chain reaction in urine samples from 11,687 unselected parturient women from the Basque Country, Spain (San Sebastián area). The overall age-adjusted prevalence was 1.0 % (95 % CI 0.8–1.2). The prevalence of infection in women younger than 25 years was 6.4 % and decreased substantially with increasing age: 2.0 % in 25–29 year-olds and 0.5 % in older women (P < 0.001). The prevalence was higher in parturient of foreign origin (1.9 %, 95 % CI 1.3–2.5) than in Spanish parturients (0.8 %, 95 % CI 0.6–1.0), (P < 0.001). The results of this study support the need to screen young women as part of antenatal care in Spain.