{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,7,8]],"date-time":"2026-07-08T13:31:14Z","timestamp":1783517474501,"version":"3.55.0"},"reference-count":32,"publisher":"BMJ","issue":"2","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2025,10,27]],"date-time":"2025-10-27T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1761523200000},"content-version":"unspecified","delay-in-days":118,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/3.0\/igo\/"}],"funder":[{"name":"UNDP-UNFPA-UNICEF-WHO-World Bank Special Programme of Research, Development and Research Training in Human Reproduction (HRP), a cosponsored programmed executed by the World Health Organization (WHO).","award":["202553792"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["202553792"]}]}],"content-domain":{"domain":["bmj.com"],"crossmark-restriction":true},"short-container-title":["bmjph"],"accepted":{"date-parts":[[2025,8,4]]},"published-print":{"date-parts":[[2025,7]]},"abstract":"\n Introduction<\/jats:title>\n \n Reproductive tract infections (RTIs) including sexually transmitted infections (STIs) result in major reproductive health morbidity worldwide. There is a paucity of recent data on laboratory-confirmed prevalence in India of the curable pathogens responsible,\n Neisseria gonorrhoeae<\/jats:italic>\n (NG),\n Chlamydia trachomatis<\/jats:italic>\n (CT),\n Trichomonas vaginalis<\/jats:italic>\n (TV),\n Bacterial vaginosis<\/jats:italic>\n (BV) and\n Candida albican<\/jats:italic>\n s (CA), with a significant proportion being asymptomatic. This study aims to determine the diagnostic accuracy of the syndromic approach and the prevalence of symptomatic and asymptomatic infections.\n <\/jats:p>\n <\/jats:sec>\n \n Method<\/jats:title>\n An observational study was conducted with 440 married, reproductive age women in low-income and middle-income neighbourhoods of Delhi. Vaginal swabs were collected irrespective of symptoms. Nucleic acid amplification technique was used for NG, TV and CT, gram stain for CA and Nugent\u2019s criteria for BV.<\/jats:p>\n Statistical analysis was done using STATA V.16.1. Categorical variables were analysed using the binomial exact method. Sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive value, and likelihood ratios were calculated for the syndromic approach. Logistic regression was performed to assess associated factors.<\/jats:p>\n <\/jats:sec>\n \n Result<\/jats:title>\n 262 of 440\u2009women had a positive laboratory test. BV was 37%, CA 12.7%, CT, NG and TV were <1%. 56% of asymptomatic women had a laboratory confirmed RTI. Sensitivity and specificity of syndromic approach were 62% and 45%. Every 1-year increase in age of women was associated with an 8% reduction in the odds of having a lab-confirmed STI\/RTI (OR=0.92).<\/jats:p>\n <\/jats:sec>\n \n Conclusions<\/jats:title>\n BV and CA were most prevalent infections. A syndromic approach had low sensitivity and specificity; young age was a risk factor.<\/jats:p>\n <\/jats:sec>\n \n Trial registration number<\/jats:title>\n CTRI\/2020\/03\/023954.<\/jats:p>\n <\/jats:sec>","DOI":"10.1136\/bmjph-2024-001791","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2025,10,28]],"date-time":"2025-10-28T07:05:13Z","timestamp":1761635113000},"page":"e001791","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1136\/crossmarkpolicy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":2,"title":["Prevalence of reproductive tract and sexually transmitted infections among symptomatic and asymptomatic women, validity of syndromic management, in urban and periurban low to mid socioeconomic neighbourhoods of North Delhi: an observational study"],"prefix":"10.1136","volume":"3","author":[{"given":"Neeta","family":"Dhabhai","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Society for Applied Studies, New Delhi, India"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-4574-580X","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Barsha","family":"Gadapani Pathak","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Society for Applied Studies, New Delhi, India"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-5812-0529","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Gitau","family":"Mburu","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Sexual and Reproductive Health and Research, UNDP\/UNFPA\/UNICEF\/WHO\/World Bank Special Programme of Research, Development and Research Training in Human Reproduction, World Health Organization, Geneva, Switzerland"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Deepak","family":"More","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Society for Applied Studies, New Delhi, India"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Ranadip","family":"Chowdhury","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Society for Applied Studies, New Delhi, India"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Teodora E C","family":"Wi","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Global HIV Hepatitis and Sexually Transmitted Infections Programmes, World Health Organisation, Geneva, Switzerland"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0009-0006-7875-7849","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Leena","family":"Chatterjee","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Dr Dangs Lab LLP, New Delhi, India"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Devjani","family":"De","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Dr Dangs Lab LLP, New Delhi, India"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Rita","family":"Kabra","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Sexual and Reproductive Health and Research, UNDP\/UNFPA\/UNICEF\/WHO\/World Bank Special Programme of Research, Development and Research Training in Human Reproduction, World Health Organization, Geneva, Switzerland"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-4180-7858","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"James","family":"Kiarie","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Sexual and Reproductive Health and Research, UNDP\/UNFPA\/UNICEF\/WHO\/World Bank Special Programme of Research, Development and Research Training in Human Reproduction, World Health Organization, Geneva, Switzerland"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Ndema","family":"Habib","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Sexual and Reproductive Health and Research, UNDP\/UNFPA\/UNICEF\/WHO\/World Bank Special Programme of Research, Development and Research Training in Human Reproduction, World Health Organization, Geneva, Switzerland"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-9708-8042","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Arjun","family":"Dang","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Dr Dangs Lab LLP, New Delhi, India"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Manvi","family":"Dang","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Dr Dangs Lab LLP, New Delhi, India"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Aradhna","family":"Bhargav","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Microbiology, Vardhman Medical College and Safdarjung Hospital, New Delhi, 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