Prevalence of Chlamydia trachomatis and Candida albicans ; hospital based study

Abstract Background Chlamydia and candidiasis have only mild or no symptoms at all. When symptoms develop, they are often mistaken for something else like urinary tract infections or yeast infections. These infections affect both men and woman of all backgrounds and economic levels. Objective The prevalence of Chlamydia trachomatis ( C.trachomatis ) and Candida albicans ( C.albicans ) infections among attendees of Kilifi Medical Centre in Kilifi county, Kenya was studied. Methodology Urethral and vaginal swabs samples were aseptically collected from 305 subjects, examined for Candida albicans and Chlamydia trachomatis using standard microbiological methods. The swabs were analyzed using direct wet smears, Gram-stained smear and culture techniques. Results Of the 305 participants, 181 (59.34%) females and 124 (40.66%) males were tested with the overall prevalence of 53.44 % for both Chlamydia trachomatis and Candida albicans with females having a higher infection rate (35.14 %) for chlamydia and candidasis than men (17.71). Amongst the different age groups investigated, candida and chlamydia distribution was highest in participants aged 28-32 years (21.97 %).The infection rate of C.trachomatis (14.43 %) among the male participants was higher than the infection rate revealed among the female participants of 1.97 % while the infection rate of C.albicans was higher among the female participants (33.77 %) compared to the 3.28 % recorded in male participants with no co-infections revealed. Conclusion The results of this study demonstrated a significant difference between male and female chlamydia and candida infections with women being severely affected than men. The study recommended routine screening for sexually transmitted infections (STIs) which is essential in preventing infections transmissions, assessment of the role of socio-demographic and behavioral risks on Chlamydia trachomatis and Candida albicans , proper treatment of all candida and chlamydia by use of correct/effective medicines, contact tracing and treatment of sexual partners and health education.