Prevalence of leukocyturia in a cohort of French asymptomatic aircrews.

OBJECTIVES

Sexually transmitted infections (STIs) can cause leukocyturia. We aimed to estimate the prevalence of leukocyturia in asymptomatic aircrews and the proportion of STIs in those presenting leukocyturia.

METHODS

The LEUCO survey was a prospective cohort study conducted among aircrews between 14th October 2019 and 13th March 2020 at the Toulon aeromedical centre in France. All participants performed a dipstick urinalysis. Those positive for leukocyturia were offered STI screening by nucleic acid amplification test (NAAT) for Chlamydia trachomatis, Neisseria gonorrhoeae, Mycoplasma genitalium and Trichomonas vaginalis.

RESULTS

Among the 2236 included asymptomatic participants (1912 men and 324 women), 127 (36 men and 91 women) were positive for leukocyturia. The prevalence of leukocyturia was 1.9% (1.3-2.6) in men and 28.1% (23.3-33.3) in women (p < 0.001). In men positive for leukocyturia, the NAAT positivity rate for C. trachomatis, N. gonorrhoeae, M. genitalium and T. vaginalis was 28.6% (3.7-71.0) in the age group 18-24, 20.0% (0.5-71.6) in the age group 25-34, and zero in the older age group (p 0.65). In women positive for leukocyturia it was 16.7% (4.7-37.4) in the age group 18-24, 18.2% (2.3-51.8) in the age group 25-34, and zero in the older age group (p 0.16).

CONCLUSIONS

In asymptomatic individuals, leukocyturia is rare in men and more common in women. In asymptomatic adults under 35 years of age with leukocyturia, multiplex NAAT shows a high proportion of STIs and might be useful in improving STI detection.