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Volume 27, Number 3—March 2021
Research

Mycoplasma genitalium and Other Reproductive Tract Infections in Pregnant Women, Papua New Guinea, 2015–2017

Michelle J.L. ScoullarComments to Author , Philippe Boeuf, Elizabeth Peach, Ruth Fidelis, Kerryanne Tokmun, Pele Melepia, Arthur Elijah, Catriona S. Bradshaw, Glenda Fehler, Peter M. Siba, Simon Erskine, Elisa Mokany, Elissa Kennedy, Alexandra J. Umbers, Stanley Luchters, Leanne J. Robinson, Nicholas C. Wong, Andrew J. Vallely, Steven G. Badman, Lisa M. Vallely, Freya J.I. Fowkes, Christopher Morgan, William Pomat, Brendan S. Crabb, James G. BeesonComments to Author , and Healthy Mothers Healthy Babies Study Team1
Author affiliations: Burnet Institute, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia (M.J.L. Scoullar, P. Boeuf, E. Peach, R. Fidelis, K. Tokmun, P. Melepia, E. Kennedy, A.J. Umbers, S. Luchters, L.J. Robinson, F.J.I. Fowkes, C. Morgan, B.S. Crabb, J.G. Beeson); Burnet Institute, Kokopo, Papua New Guinea (M.J.L. Scoullar, P. Boeuf, E. Peach, R. Fidelis, K. Tokmun, P. Melepia, E. Kennedy, A.J. Umbers, S. Luchters, L.J. Robinson, F.J.I. Fowkes, C. Morgan, B.S. Crabb, J.G. Beeson); University of Melbourne, Melbourne (M.J.L Scoullar, P. Boeuf, C.S. Bradshaw, L.J. Robinson, F.J.I. Fowkes, C. Morgan, B.S. Crabb, J.G. Beeson); University of Papua New Guinea, Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea (A. Elijah); Melbourne Sexual Health Centre, Melbourne (C.S. Bradshaw, G. Fehler); Monash University, Melbourne (C.S. Bradshaw, S. Luchters, L.J. Robinson, N.C. Wong, F.J.I. Fowkes, C. Morgan, B.S. Crabb, J.G. Beeson); Papua New Guinea Institute of Medical Research, Goroka, Papua New Guinea (P.M. Siba, L.J. Robinson, A. Vallely, L.M. Vallely, W. Pomat); SpeeDx Pty Ltd, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia (S. Erskine, E. Mokany); Aga Khan University, Nairobi, Kenya (S. Luchters); Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium (S. Luchters); University of New South Wales, Sydney (A. Vallely, S.G. Badman, L.M. Vallely); James Cook University, Townsville, Queensland, Australia (L.M. Vallely)

Main Article

Table 2

Prevalence of reproductive tract infections among pregnant women in East New Britain, Papua New Guinea, 2015–2017*

Reproductive tract infection Tested Frequency Prevalence, % (95% CI)
No current RTI† 467 121 25.9 (22–30.1)
No current STI‡ 485 302 62.3 (57.8–66.6)
Mycoplasma genitalium 625 78 12.5 (10–15.3)
Chlamydia trachomatis 640 122 19.1 (16.1–22.3)
Neisseria gonorrhoeae 640 35 5.5 (3.8–7.5)
Trichomonas vaginalis 581 117 20.1 (16.9–23.6)
Syphilis§ 437 79 18.1 (14.6–22)
Bacterial vaginosis 653 170 26 (22.7–29.6)
Vulvovaginal candidiasis
653
245
37.5 (33.8–41.4)
Co-infections
>1 Current RTI 467 346 74.1 (69.9–78)
>1 Current STI 485 183 37.7 (33.4–42.2)
>1 MG, CT, NG, TV, or syphilis infection 302 144 47.7 (41.9–53.5)
>1 MG, CT, NG, TV, or BV infection 467 250 53.5 (48.9–58.1)
>1 Infection diagnosed by GeneXpert¶ 546 175 32.1 (28.2–36.1)
>1 Vaginal infection# 542 362 66.8 (62.6–70.7)
>1 BV or VVC infection 653 376 57.6 (53.7–61.4)




Multiple current STIs
2 661 75 11.3 (9–14)
3 536 15 2.8 (1.6–4.6)

*Participants result included only if they had all tests done for each of the infections within group of RTIs. BV, bacterial vaginosis; CT, Chlamydia trachomatis; MG, Mycoplasma genitalium; NG, Neisseria gonorrhoeae; RTI, reproductive tract infection; STI, sexually transmitted infection; TV, Trichomonas vaginalis; VVC, vulvovaginal candidiasis.
RTIs include MG, CT, NG, TV, BC, and VVC (syphilis not included).
STIs include MG, CT, NG, TV (syphilis not included).
§Diagnosed with Alere Determine Syphilis TP (Abbott, https://www.abbott.com).
¶CT, NG, and TV infections diagnosed with GeneXpert (Cepheid, https://www.cepheid.com).
#Vaginal infections include BV, TV, and VVC.

Main Article

1Members of this group are listed at the end of this article.

Page created: January 11, 2021
Page updated: February 21, 2021
Page reviewed: February 21, 2021
The conclusions, findings, and opinions expressed by authors contributing to this journal do not necessarily reflect the official position of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, the Public Health Service, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, or the authors' affiliated institutions. Use of trade names is for identification only and does not imply endorsement by any of the groups named above.
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