Among teenagers treated for chlamydia two-year reinfection rate nears 20%.

Chlamydia is noted as the most common bacterial infection in the US. Since repeat infections of chlamydia increase the risk of long-term complications such as pelvic inflammatory disease infertility and ectopic pregnancy their contributing factors need to be identified and assessed. An analysis of data from a population-based sexually transmitted disease (STD) registry in Washington assessed the proportion of women with at least one repeat infection among 32698 women aged 10-44 who were treated for initial chlamydial infection during 1993-98. Logistic regression models in the analysis of predictors of reinfection were utilized. Overall it was noted that increase risk of repeat infection was associated with race obtaining care from facility other than family planning clinic seeking services because of symptoms of or exposure to STD and having gonorrhea at the time of the initial diagnosis. The study also confirmed that age is the strongest predictor of repeat chlamydial infection. Moreover it highlights the serious public health problem affecting adolescents and difficulty of follow-up and epidemiological evaluations.