Prevalence of Neisseria gonorrhoeae, Chlamydia trachomatis, Bacterial Vaginosis, Candida Species, and Mycoplasma genitalium Among Patients Attending a Sexually Transmitted Infection Clinic: A Cross-Sectional Study from Amritsar, Punjab, India

Baiahunshisha Pyngrope, Anuradha Malhotra, Loveena Oberoi, Sapna Batra

Abstract: Background: Sexually transmitted infections (STIs) remain a major public health problem in India, contributing substantially to reproductive tract morbidity, infertility, and enhanced HIV transmission. Reliable, laboratory-confirmed prevalence data- particularly using nucleic acid amplification tests (NAATs)- remain limited from tertiary care settings in northern India. Aim and Objective: To determine the prevalence of Neisseria gonorrhoeae, Chlamydia trachomatis, bacterial vaginosis, Candida species, and Mycoplasma genitalium among patients attending the STI clinic of a tertiary care hospital in Amritsar, Punjab. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted over one and a half years (July 2024 to December 2025) among 200 patients presenting with cervical, vaginal, or urethral discharge. Urogenital swabs were subjected to Gram/Giemsa staining, wet mount and KOH examination, culture, and PCR, as applicable. Results: Thirty of 200 patients (15%) were positive for at least one infection. Bacterial vaginosis was the commonest diagnosis (8, 4%), followed by Candida species (12, 6%; C. albicans 5, C. glabrata 3, C. krusei 2, C. parapsilosis 2), Mycoplasma genitalium (5, 2.5%), N. gonorrhoeae (3, 1.5%), and C. trachomatis (2, 1%). No coinfections were detected. N. gonorrhoeae and C. trachomatis were identified exclusively in males, whereas bacterial vaginosis and candidiasis were identified exclusively in females. Limitation: The small number of positive cases limited detailed subgroup analysis, and single-centre, hospital-based sampling may not reflect community prevalence. Conclusion: Molecular diagnostics substantially improved detection of fastidious, low-titre pathogens such as M. genitalium and C. trachomatis. Their integration into routine STI diagnostic protocols, together with attention to associated socioeconomic risk factors, is recommended to strengthen syndromic management and STI control programmes.

Keywords: Neisseria gonorrhoeae, Chlamydia trachomatis, bacterial vaginosis, Candida, Mycoplasma genitalium, polymerase chain reaction, sexually transmitted infections

How to Cite?: Baiahunshisha Pyngrope, Anuradha Malhotra, Loveena Oberoi, Sapna Batra, "Prevalence of Neisseria gonorrhoeae, Chlamydia trachomatis, Bacterial Vaginosis, Candida Species, and Mycoplasma genitalium Among Patients Attending a Sexually Transmitted Infection Clinic: A Cross-Sectional Study from Amritsar, Punjab, India", Volume 15 Issue 9, September 2026, International Journal of Science and Research (IJSR), Pages: 556-560, https://www.ijsr.net/getabstract.php?paperid=SR26908225000, DOI: https://dx.doi.org/10.21275/SR26908225000

Download Citation: APA | MLA | BibTeX | EndNote | RefMan