TABLE 1. Characteristics of population and confirmatory studies used in the included studies.

First author and year, country, and design	Population	STIs included and confirmatory test methods
Clarke 2012 (21), Costa Rica, Cohort	Random sample of 20% of Guanacaste census. Women of 18 years or older were included. Researchers made a random sample stratified by age to assess C. trachomatis prevalence.	C. trachomatis: PCR HPV: HPV DNA detection
de Lima 2014 (22), Brazil, Cross sectional	Sexually active, non-pregnant women aged 15 to 24 years monitored by a domestic family health program in three cities.	C. trachomatis and N. gonorrhoeae: PCR (nucleic acid amplification) T. pallidum screening test: VDRL; confirmatory tests: FTA-ABS HPV: HPV DNA detection
Figueiredo 2013 (23), Brazil, Cross sectional	Female adolescents aged 15 to 19 years, who were not pregnant or postpartum, had not used oral or vaginal antimicrobial drugs in the previous 15 days, and had not engaged in sexual intercourse in the previous 48 hours.	C. trachomatis and N. gonorrhoeae: PCR HPV: confirmatory test: PCR
Figueiró-Filho 2007 (24), Brazil, Cross sectional	All pregnant women aged 11 to 49 years who received prenatal care triage through serology.	T. pallidum screening test: VDRL; confirmatory test: FTA-ABS Laboratory samples were obtained in filter paper.
Franceschi 2007 (25), Colombia–Argentina, Cross sectional	Random sample, age-stratified of sexually active, non-pregnant women aged 15 to 65 years. Their recruitment sources varied between countries and included census, mandatory family planning clinic list, among others. Each city recruited a sample of 100 women in each age group.	C. trachomatis and N. gonorrhoeae: nucleic acid amplification
Gabster 2016 (34), Panama, Cross sectional	592 participants, aged 14 to 18 years, enrolled in public high schools in the District of Panama, who agreed to participate.	C. trachomatis and N. gonorrhoeae: real-time PCR
Hernández-Girón 2005 (26), Mexico, Cross sectional	The study comprised two populations; population 2 (non-pregnant women) was included in the present review, as population 1 (pregnant women) was not randomly selected. A random sample of 1 060 non-pregnant women aged 15 to 85 years who received cervical cancer screening at the Instituto Mexicano del Seguro Social (IMSS) in Cuernavaca, Mexico.	HPV: HPV DNA detection
Matos 2003 (27), Argentina, Cross sectional	Non-pregnant women aged ≥15 years, without previous hysterectomy or conization. The population was recruited from a national census subsample.	HPV: PCR
Miranda 2004 (28), Brazil, Cross sectional	Young women aged 15 to 19 years residing in Vitória, Brazil.	C. trachomatis and N. gonorrhoeae: ligase chain reaction
Paredes 2015 (29), Colombia, Cross sectional	Sexually active adolescents aged 14 to 19 years enrolled in secondary and high schools located in Sabana Centro province, Colombia.	C. trachomatis and N. gonorrhoeae: real-time PCR
Pinto 2011 (30), Brazil, Cross sectional	Parturient women attending Brazilian public hospitals. The maternity units were selected through random sample stratified by region.	C. trachomatis: nucleic acid amplification
Santos 2016 (31), Brazil, Not specified	A random sample of 515 sexually active women attending public or private cytology and colposcopy services.	HPV: PCR
Silveira 2017 (32), Brazil, Cross sectional	Pregnant women aged 15 to 29 years admitted during labor in all maternity wards in Pelotas, Brazil. The study excluded women who had reported the use of antibiotics in the previous month to the recruitment.	C. trachomatis: PCR
Tamayo 2011 (33), Colombia, Cross sectional	Sexually active students inscribed in secondary and high schools (9th and 11th Grade).	C. trachomatis: immunochromatography (rapid test, data not included in the present review) N. gonorrhoeae: Thayer–Martin culture T. pallidum screening test: RPR; confirmatory test: FTA-ABS HPV: PCR
Vallés 2009 (35), Guatemala, Cross sectional	All: Non-pregnant women aged 18 to 49 years without contraindication for pap smear examination. Group 1 – sex worker population: sex workers who had been visited as part of a local program to prevent STIs. Group 2 – general population: women who attended selected health centers regardless of the reason for the visit.	HPV: PCR

Notes: DNA, deoxyribonucleic acid; FTA-ABS, fluorescent treponemal antibody absorption test; HPV, human papillomavirus; PCR, polymerase chain reaction; STIs, sexually transmitted infections; RPR, rapid plasma reagin; VDRL, Venereal Disease Research Laboratory.

Source: Prepared by the authors based on published data.