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Background The Human Papillomavirus (HPV) and Chlamydia trachomatis are the most prevalent Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs) worldwide, and are associated cervical cancer and pelvic inflammatory disease, respectively. However, 80% of women testing positive are asymptomatic. In the Amazon region, young women, in particular, are widely exposed to the infections and their consequences. Objectives Determine the prevalence of sexual infection by HPV and C. trachomatis in young, sexually-active women treated at a university health program in a large city of the Brazilian Amazon region. Methods We amplified the L1 gene of HPV. We amplified ompA gene of C. trachomatis by nested PCR, and the study participants filled in a questionnaire on their social, epidemiological, and reproductive health characteristics. The data were analyzed using the Odds Ratio, to evaluate the degree of association of these variables with the observed infections. Results The prevalence of infection by HPV was 15.5% (47/303). This infection was recorded in 32.2% of the women of less than 25 years of age (OR:3.02 [CI95%] = 1.32–6.92; p = 0.014), 17.9% of the single women (OR: 2.41 [CI95%] = 1.22–4.75; p = 0.014), 23.8% of the women that reported having first sexual intercourse at less than 15 years of age (OR: 2.22 [CI95%] = 1.16–4.23; p = 0.021), 20% of those that reported having had more than one sexual partner during their lifetime (OR: 3.83 [CI95%] = 1.56–9.37; p = 0.003), and in 28.3% that use oral contraceptives (CI95% = 1.33–5.43; p = 0.008). The prevalence of sexual infection by C. trachomatis was 4.6% (14/303), and this bacterium was present in 16.1% of the young women of less than 25 years of age (OR: 2.86 [CI95%] = 1.33–5.43; p = 0.008). Conclusions We found a high prevalence of HPV in young, unmarried women who started their sex lives early, who had several sexual partners in their lives and who used oral contraceptives. The prevalence of C. trachomatis was high only in young women. Our data are in accordance with other studies in Brazil and in the world and may serve to base the formulation of diagnostic and screening measures for these infections in women in the Amazon.

BackgroundChlamydia trachomatis is the most prevalent bacterial sexually transmitted infection (STI) in the world. Approximately 80% of infected women are asymptomatic, although this infection can lead to serious complications in the female reproductive tract. Few data on Chlamydia infection are available in rural Amazonian communities.ObjectivesTo evaluate the prevalence of sexual C. trachomatis infection in women from Marajó Archipelago communities in the Amazon region of Brazil and to identify associated factors and genotypes.MethodsWe utilized amplification of the ompA gene by nested PCR. Positive samples were genotyped by sequencing. Study participants completed a questionnaire on social, epidemiological, and reproductive health variables. A Poisson regression was used to evaluate the degree of association of these variables with the infection.ResultsThe sexual infection by C. trachomatis was observed in 4% (16/393) of the subjects, and was more often found in women aged ≤25 (14.3%; 95% CI = 2.83-35.47; p ConclusionsWe recorded a high prevalence of sexual infection by C. trachomatis in young and poor women from the interior of the Brazilian Amazon. This high prevalence and the frequencies of the main genotypes were similar to those found in major Brazilian urban centers. Our results reinforce the importance of the screening of this neglected infection, and the prevention of later sequelae in young women from rural and urban areas of Brazil.