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. 2024 Aug;35(9):696-702.
doi: 10.1177/09564624241248874. Epub 2024 Apr 24.

Seroprevalence of sexually transmitted infections over 44 years - A cross-sectional study in Sweden

Nirina Andersson  1 , Tim Waterboer  2 , Elisabet Nylander  1 , Annika Idahl  3
Affiliations

Seroprevalence of sexually transmitted infections over 44 years - A cross-sectional study in Sweden

Nirina Andersson et al. Int J STD AIDS. 2024 Aug.

Abstract

Background: Sexually transmitted infections (STIs) may cause substantial individual suffering and a large economic burden for society. This study examined the seroprevalence of Chlamydia trachomatis, Mycoplasma genitalium, herpes simplex virus (HSV) types 1 and 2, and several human papillomaviruses (HPV) in the Swedish population over time.

Methods: The study population consisted of 30-year-old women attending maternity care, and 50 year-old men and women attending health check-ups, from 1975 to 2018. Antibody status was determined by multiplex serology and quantified using median reporter fluorescence intensity (MFI).

Results: A total of 891 samples were analysed (519 from 30-year-old women, 186 from 50 year-old women and 186 from 50 year-old men). Of these, 41.5% showed seropositivity for Chlamydia trachomatis, 16.7% for Mycoplasma genitalium, 70.5% for HSV-1, 14.9% for HSV-2, 13.2% for high-risk HPV, and 8.3% for low-risk HPV. Seropositivity for Mycoplasma genitalium, HSV-1 and especially Chlamydia trachomatis decreased over time.

Conclusions: There was a decrease over time in Chlamydia trachomatis seroprevalence, probably due to contact tracing, testing and early treatment; this might also have affected Mycoplasma genitalium seroprevalence. Despite the reduction, seroprevalences are still high, so continued and new efforts to reduce STI incidence are essential.

Keywords: Chlamydia (Chlamydia trachomatis); HPV (Human papillomavirus); HSV (Herpes simplex virus); bacterial disease; viral disease.

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Conflict of interest statement

Declaration of conflicting interestsThe author(s) declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.

Figures

Figure 1.
Figure 1.
Seropositivity for STIs in the entire study population.
Figure 2.
Figure 2.
(a) Seropositivity for Chlamydia trachomatis and Mycoplasma genitalium among 30 year-old women. (b) Seropositivity for Chlamydia trachomatis and Mycoplasma genitalium among 50 year-old women. (c) Seropositivity for Chlamydia trachomatis and Mycoplasma genitalium among 50 year-old men.
Figure 3.
Figure 3.
(a) Seropositivity for viral STIs among 30 year-old women, (b) Seropositivity for viral STIs among 50 year-old women, (c) Seropositivity for viral STIs among 50 year-old men.
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