Prevalence of urogenital Mycoplasma genitalium infection at two US Army medical facilities

Abstract

ABSTRACT Background Sexually transmitted infections (STIs) have a high incidence in the US Armed Forces and can adversely impact service members’ ability to perform their duties. Better knowledge of Mycoplasma genitalium (MG) epidemiology in the military is needed to understand the potential impact of this emerging pathogen on force readiness. Methods We conducted cross-sectional analyses of data from US Army service members and other Military Health System beneficiaries participating in a trial of an STI/HIV behavioral intervention at Fort Liberty, NC and Joint Base Lewis-McChord, WA. At enrollment, participants completed questionnaires and provided biological specimens for nucleic acid amplification testing for MG, Chlamydia trachomatis (CT), and Neisseria gonorrhoeae (NG). We used principal components analysis and robust Poisson regression to examine associations between participant characteristics and prevalent urogenital MG. Results Among 432 participants enrolled between November 2020 and February 2023, 43 had MG (prevalence 10.0%), of whom 13 had co-infection with another bacterial STI (all 13 were positive for CT, with 1 also positive for NG). MG prevalence was significantly higher among females (13.5%) vs. males (7.6%; p = 0.048) and non-Hispanic Black participants (14.9%) vs. non-Hispanic White participants (6.6%; p = 0.045). Single relationship status and increased number of recent sexual partners were correlated, and their component was associated with higher MG prevalence (adjusted prevalence ratio 2.11, 95% confidence interval: 1.29–3.48). Conclusions The high prevalence of urogenital MG among Military Health System beneficiaries highlights the importance of understanding the potential clinical sequelae of MG and conducting additional epidemiologic research in military settings.