Prevalence of Genital Chlamydia trachomatis Infection Among Sexually Active Young Adults in Sokoto State, North West Nigeria

Chlamydia trachomatis is the most common bacterial sexually transmitted infection worldwide and frequently causes silent infections leading to pelvic inflammatory disease, infertility, and ectopic pregnancy if undetected. This study determined the prevalence of genital C. trachomatis infection among sexually active young adults attending reproductive health clinics in Sokoto State, North West Nigeria. A cross-sectional study was conducted among 220 sexually active young adults aged 18 to 35 years. Endocervical swabs from women and urethral swabs from men were collected aseptically and tested for C. trachomatis using direct fluorescent antibody staining and ELISA. Sexual behaviour data, contraceptive use, and symptom history were collected by questionnaire. An overall prevalence of 15.9% was recorded, with females showing higher infection rates at 18.7% compared to males at 12.6%. The majority of infections were asymptomatic. Multiple sexual partners, non-use of condoms, and low educational attainment were significant risk factors. Concurrent sexually transmitted infection was detected in 31.4% of positive cases. Awareness of chlamydial infection was low among study participants. The study highlights the silent burden of chlamydial infection in North West Nigeria and recommends integration of routine chlamydia screening into reproductive health services, partner notification protocols, and targeted sexual health education campaigns for young adults. Keywords: Chlamydia trachomatis, sexually transmitted infections, young adults, reproductive health, Sokoto State