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Niccolai Receives Grant to Examine Sources of Repeat Chlamydia Infections
Linda Niccolai, Assistant Professor of Epidemiology in the Division of Epidemiology of Microbial Diseases (EMD), has received a three-year, $240,000 grant from The Patrick and Catherine Weldon Donaghue Medical Research Foundation to examine the sources of repeat chlamydia infections in young women. Chlamydia trachomatis (chlamydia) is the most common reportable sexually transmitted infection in the United States. Young women have the highest rates of chlamydia infection, and 1 in 4 young women are diagnosed with chlamydia during adolescence. Furthermore, repeat infections are common: up to 40% of young women diagnosed with chlamydia will have another diagnosis within one year. This results in increased risk for pelvic inflammatory disease, infertility, chronic pelvic pain, and poor birth outcomes. Though many studies have documented the high rate of repeat infections, fewer have examined the predictors and sources of repeat infections. “Repeat infections may come from an inadequately treated partner, a new partner, or a non-monogamous partner. The relative contribution of these sources is not known,” Niccolai says. Niccolai's study, which began in January, uses methods from behavioral and molecular epidemiology, psychology and clinical medicine to provide a more complete understanding of the factors that influence the trajectory from initial diagnosis to repeat infection. Women ages 14 years and older will be recruited to participate in the longitudinal study, which will be conducted at the Planned Parenthood health center in New Haven. At the time of initial diagnosis, participants will provide information about their behaviors and partnerships, and provide a urine specimen for chlamydia genotyping. At a follow-up visit four months later, participants will provide information about changes in partnerships and another urine specimen for repeat chlamydia testing and typing. This combination of behavioral and molecular data will be used to estimate the proportion of repeat infections attributable to the various possible sources. The results of the study will be used to inform prevention messages and interventions aimed at reducing the frequency of and morbidity associated with repeat chlamydia. “Knowing sources of repeat chlamydia can help clinicians target prevention messages about the need for partner treatment, risk reduction, and perceptions of risk in relationships” says Niccolai. Melinda Pettigrew, Assistant Professor of Epidemiology in EMD, Flora Teng, second-year MPH student in the Division of Health Policy and Administration, Jeannette Ickovics, Associate Professor of Epidemiology in the Division of Chronic Disease Epidemiology, and Moriah Ritson, Director of Medical and Clinician Services at Planned Parenthood, are collaborators on the study. –Story by Christy Gordon |
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