Table 1.

Parameters describing infection with C. trachomatis. Assuming the same average duration of the infection ensures that the baseline turnover of C. trachomatis is the same in all three individual-based models. However, we adjust the transmission rate per sex act to obtain a similar C. trachomatis prevalence. Analysis of data from Natsal 2000 results in a prevalence of 1.7% (95% CI: 1.3–2.1) for people aged 18–44 years and 2.9% (95% CI: 1.3–2.1) for people aged 18–29 years [19]. For a detailed evaluation of disease-specific parameters, see Althaus et al. [9]. Note that the Turner model does not include an incubation time.

parameters	value
infection stages
incubation time, i.e. the time people are infected but not yet infectious	14 days
fraction of infections becoming asymptomatic	0.75
duration of symptomatic period	35 days
duration of asymptomatic period	433 days
transmission rate per sex act
Kretzschmar model	4.4%
Turner model	3.5%
ClaSS model	2.2%
average interval between sex acts
during the first two weeks of a partnership	2 days
after the first two weeks of a partnership	7 days