Incidence and spontaneous clearance of gonorrhea and chlamydia infections among men who have sex with men: a prospective cohort study in Zhuhai, China.

Background: Men who have sex with men (MSM) face significant risks of Chlamydia trachomatis (CT) and/or Neisseria gonorrhoeae (NG) infection. Nevertheless, only limited studies have looked into the site-specific infection and clearance of CT/NG. In order to prevent transmission, it is essential to understand the underlying factors that drive infection and spontaneous clearance.
Methods: A 12-week cohort study examined the association between CT/NG infection, self-clearance, and sexual behaviors among MSM. The Willingness Service recruited participants who completed weekly questionnaires and provided urine, throat, and rectal swab samples.
Results: The study involved 151 men, in which 51 (33.8%) were diagnosed with CT/NG infection during the study period. HIV (OR = 11.31), kissing (OR = 1.59), receptive oral sex (OR = 36.64), and insertive anal sex (OR = 19.73) constituted significant risk factors. 100% condom use (OR = 5.78) and antibiotic (OR = 7.53) were more likely to cause spontaneous clearance.
Discussion: MSM may engage in riskier sexual behaviors due to insufficient knowledge and awareness of STI prevention, leading to increased susceptibility to NG/CT. It is crucial to concentrate on enhancing health education for MSM.
Conclusion: This study found that the rectum was the most prevalent site of CT/NG and sexual behavior can influence the infection. Additionally, the appropriate use of antibiotics and consistent condom use may contribute to clear spontaneously.
Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest. The reviewer PZ declared a shared affiliation with the author WT to the handling editor at the time of review.
(Copyright © 2024 Lyu, Tang, Feng, Hu, Wang, Zhou, Huang, Li, Zhu, He, Tang, Zhou and Zhang.)