Impact of sex-based differences in testing practices on C hlamydia trachomatis and Neisseria gonorrhoeae infection rates in military service members.

This article examines sex-based differences in testing practices and positivity rates for Chlamydia trachomatis (CT) and Neisseria gonorrhoeae (GC) infections among military service members at Joint Base San Antonio. Despite women undergoing more frequent testing—primarily driven by clinical algorithms—men exhibited significantly higher positivity rates for both CT (8.7% vs. 3.9%) and GC (2.8% vs. 0.4%), with men more often requesting testing themselves. The findings suggest that differences in testing practices may partially explain previously observed higher infection rates in men and highlight the need for further research on the effectiveness of screening men in military settings to reduce the burden of these sexually transmitted infections.