Hospitalization Rates in Female US Army Recruits Associated With a Screening Program for Chlamydia trachomatis

Background: A volunteer program to test non– healthcareseeking women for genital Chlamydia trachomatis infection was instituted at the US Army’s largest basic training center and evaluated for its effectiveness in reducing sequelae. Goal: To compare hospitalization rates between women with positive test results for C trachomatis and those with negative results, and between women tested and those not tested for C trachomatis. Study Design: For this study, 28,074 women who entered the Army in 1996 and 1997 were followed for hospitalizations through December 1998. Of these women, 7053 were tested for C trachomatis, and 21,021 were not screened. Hospital admissions were calculated per person-year, and adjusted relative risks were determined. Results: The overall prevalence of C trachomatis in the screened group was 9.1%. The relative risk of hospitalization for pelvic inflammatory disease in the screened cohort was 0.94 (95% CI, 0.69 –1.29), as compared with those not screened. The relative risk of hospitalization for any reason was 0.94 (95% CI, 0.90 – 0.99). Among women screened, no difference was found in pelvic inflammatory disease hospitalizations between women with positive test results who were being treated for C trachomatis and those with negative test results. Conclusions: The investigated C trachomatis intervention program for female Army recruits was associated with a lower overall hospitalization rate in screened volunteers, as compared with unscreened women. The pelvic inflammatory disease hospitalization rate in women with C trachomatis who were screened and treated was similar to that observed in uninfected women.