Chlamydia trachomatis epidemiology in Canadians of Chinese ethnicity: a population-based study.

Objectives: To compare the rates of Chlamydia trachomatis infection between those of Chinese ethnicity and non-Chinese ethnicity in a large Canadian urban setting.

Methods: We examined rates of Chlamydia among residents of Vancouver and Richmond, Canada, by Chinese and non-Chinese ethnicity, from 2006 to 2010. We stratified cases by age group, sex and ethnicity. We analyzed 12,555 cases of Chlamydia from 2006 to 2010.

Results: The overall rate of Chlamydia was 276 per 100,000 per year. Chlamydia rates were 236 per 100,000 among those of Chinese ethnicity and 338 per 100,000 among non-Chinese. While overall rates among individuals of Chinese ethnicity were lower, rates among older Chinese women were significantly higher than among their non-Chinese counterparts.

Conclusions: Physicians serving patients of Chinese ethnicity should be aware that rates among Chinese-Canadians are substantial, with rates among older women higher than among non-Chinese women, and they should consider this when screening for sexually transmitted infections in this population. Further research is needed to elucidate why this is the case.