Chlamydial and gonorrheal neglected sexually transmitted diseases among Pacific Islanders of the Western Pacific Region-A narrative review and call to action

Abstract

The Pacific Island countries of the Western Pacific Region have some of the highest rates of sexually transmitted Chlamydia trachomatis and Neisseria gonorrhoeae infections in the world. Despite this, there are few research studies that include Pacific Islanders. We conducted a narrative review of original research and surveys, including World Health Organization and Pacific Community reports, to determine the prevalence, management, and treatment of C. trachomatis and N. gonorrhoeae compared to HIV and syphilis from 1980 to 2022. Available epidemiologic data on C. trachomatis and N. gonorrhoeae indicated an extremely high prevalence-approximately 30% and 13%, respectively-among Pacific Islanders during this timeframe. These neglected sexually transmitted infections represent a significant burden and health disparity. Robust epidemiologic research is needed to identify modifiable risk factors for designing interventions and control strategies. Appropriate policies along with regional and international advocacy and aid are required to improve reproductive health among these vulnerable, understudied populations to avert preventable infections and sequelae.

Fig 1. Pacific Island Countries and Territories (PICTs) of the Western Pacific Region.

PICTs are grouped by Micronesian, Melanesian, and Polynesian ethnicities. The base layer image from which the figure was initially drawn can be found at https://ojs.wpro.who.int/ojs/index.php/wpsar/article/view/59 (please click on article PDF). WHO uses the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 IGO license (CC BY 3.0 IGO) with unrestricted use. The link to these terms of use and license information for the base layer image is under the Copyright Notice section at: https://ojs.wpro.who.int/ojs/index.php/wpsar/about.