Sexually Transmitted Infections

Kamwendo, F; Forslin, L; Danielsson, D

doi: 10.1136/sti.66.5.324pmid: 2245978

More patients were hospitalised for acute salpingitis at the Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Orebro Medical Centre, Orebro, Sweden, during the 5 year period 1970-1974 (period I) as compared with that of 1980-1984 (period II), 666 patients and 524 respectively, a decrease of 22%. The majority of cases, 92% in period I and 85% in period II, occurred among women 15-34 years of age, that is a relative increase of patients aged over 34 from 8% in period I to 15% in period II. Concomitant urogenital gonorrhoea occurred in 26.2% of the patients in period I compared with 12.0% in period II, a highly significant decrease (p less than 0.001) mainly confined to the age group 15-24, whereas there was no relative difference for the two periods in the age group 25-34 years. The number of patients using intrauterine contraceptive device (IUCD) was 96/666 (14.4%) in period I compared with 113/524 (21.6%) in period II (p less than 0.001). There were also relatively more IUCD users among the patients with gonorrhoea and acute salpingitis in period II (15.5%) compared with period I (10.4%) but this difference was not statistically significant. From 1981 to 1984 370/424 patients were cultured for Chlamydia trachomatis and 27.8% (103/370) were positive. Thus Chlamydia trachomatis is at present, at least in the Orebro area, the most frequently isolated STD agent among acute salpingitis patients while gonorrhoea is of much less importance.

Keet, I P; Lee, F K; van Griensven, G J; Lange, J M; Nahmias, A; Coutinho, R A

doi: 10.1136/sti.66.5.330pmid: 2245979

We studied the role of genital ulcerative infections for acquisition of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) infection in a cohort of 989 homosexual men in Amsterdam between October 1984 and December 1988. Among 53 HIV-1 seroconverters serological and anamnestic data were gathered regarding herpes simplex virus type 2 (HSV-2) and syphilis in the 6 months before seroconversion. For statistical analysis a control who remained seronegative during the same interval was selected at random for each HIV-1 seroconverter. A significant difference between the prevalence of HSV-2 antibodies among HIV-1 seroconverters and controls was found (72% vs 38%). HSV-2 seroconversions among men initially seronegative for HSV-2 were found among three of 18 HIV-1 seroconverters and among three of 36 controls. (O.R. = 2.2, 95% C.I. 0.4-12.1). Self-reported cases of anogenital herpes were found more frequently among HIV-1 seroconverters (8) than among controls (4). One case of syphilis was diagnosed among HIV-1 seroconverters, and one among controls. Summing up these cases we assessed the total number of genital ulcerative infections: 12 among HIV-1 seroconverters and eight among controls (23 vs 15%, O.R. 1.7, C.I. 0.6-4.62). These data suggest little evidence for genital ulcerative infections being an important independent risk factor for HIV-1 acquisition among homosexual men in Amsterdam during the time period studied.

Ramachandran, S; Ngeow, Y F

doi: 10.1136/sti.66.5.334pmid: 2245980

The prevalence of sexually transmitted diseases was determined among 370 prostitutes in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Chlamydial cervicitis (26.5%) was detected more frequently than gonorrhoea (14.25%) and was associated more often with pelvic inflammatory disease. Concurrent infections and asymptomatic infections were common. Seropositivity to hepatitis B and syphilis were 66.3% and 13.6% respectively. Women under 20 years of age had significantly higher rates of infection with Chlamydia trachomatis and hepatitis B virus than older women.

Mak, R; Plum, J; Van Renterghem, L

doi: 10.1136/sti.66.5.337pmid: 2245981

From December 1988 to April 1989, 154 female prostitutes in and around Ghent, Belgium, were interviewed about their knowledge, attitudes and practices in relation to the risks for sexually transmitted diseases (STD) and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection in their profession. Thirty four women worked as window prostitutes, 120 picked up their clients in bars, clubs, and saunas. Blood samples were taken from 123 women. One (0.8%) was seropositive for HIV1, 19 (15.4%) had Hepatitis B core antibodies (anti-HBc), eight (6.4%) showed markers of syphilis. None of them were Hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) carriers. Hepatitis C antibodies (anti-HCV) were present in the serum of three women (2.4%). Overall STD seroprevalence was higher in the group of window prostitutes than in the group of club prostitutes. One woman admitted intravenous drug use. Former testing for anti-HIV antibodies had been performed in 102 (66.5%) respondents, of whom 84 (82.3%) were tested in the year preceding the interview. In 74.5% of the cases, these tests were requested by the women themselves. These results suggest that HIV infection is not yet prevalent in non-intravenous drug using prostitutes in Ghent, but that this situation may change considering their higher rates of past STD. Window prostitutes are at higher risk than club prostitutes. Testing for HIV seems to be common practice, mostly at the request of the women themselves. Health education should discourage the notion of testing as an alternative to using condoms.

Fitzpatrick, R; McLean, J; Dawson, J; Boulton, M; Hart, G

doi: 10.1136/sti.66.5.346pmid: 2245982

A sample of 502 homosexually active men were recruited from genitourinary medicine clinics and non clinic sources and interviewed in relation to their sexual behaviour and factors that might influence their use of condoms. Three hundred and eighty three men (76%) reported penetrative anal sex in the previous year. Ninety four (25%) had not used condoms in penetrative sex. Failure to use condoms was associated with unfavourable attitudes to them, not knowing close friends or partners who had HIV-related health problems, having fewer sexual partners and being in a closed monogamous relationship. On the other hand levels of awareness about the risks of unprotected anal sex and involvement in gay networks and social groups were not predictors of condom use.

Roth, A C; Milsom, I; Forssman, L; Wåhlén, P

doi: 10.1136/sti.66.5.357pmid: 2245983

The therapeutic efficacy of intermittent, monthly, postmenstrual prophylaxis with a single 500 mg clotrimazole vaginal tablet (n = 33) was compared with placebo tablets (n = 29) in 62 woman (age 28.1, SD 7.2 years) with recurrent vulvovaginal candidiasis. The number of episodes of acute vulvovaginal candidiasis experienced during the year prior to inclusion was 6.3, SD 1.9. The cumulative recurrence frequency after 6 months intermittent prophylaxis with clotrimazole (30.3%) was lower (p less than 0.001) than that recorded for the women who received placebo (79.3%). After an additional 6 months observation period without treatment there was no significant difference in the cumulative recurrence frequency between the groups (clotrimazole 84.9%; placebo 86.2%). The vagina was recolonised with Candida albicans in 70% of the women after 6 months prophylactic treatment with clotrimazole and in 86% of the women who had received placebo. Thus, this study has demonstrated that postmenstrual prophylactic treatment with a single 500 mg clotrimazole vaginal tablet, applied monthly, prevents recurrence of symptoms, although it does not eliminate yeasts from the vagina.

Engelkens, H J; Kant, M; Onvlee, P C; Stolz, E; van der Sluis, J J

doi: 10.1136/sti.66.5.367pmid: 2123166

The use of Percoll-purified treponemes in an assay similar to the Treponema pallidum Immobilisation test demonstrated that immobilisation of purified treponemes by seronegative normal human serum proceeded at a much higher rate than that of unpurified treponemes. This suggests that the removal of the testicular extract makes the treponemes more vulnerable to this action. A preincubation of the purified treponemes with the testicular extract from infected or uninfected testes delayed their rate of immobilisation to that demonstrated by the unpurified treponemes. This showed that substances produced during the infection are probably not responsible for the delay in immobilisation. Discrimination between the classical and the alternative pathway of complement activation, studied by the ethylene glycol-bis (beta-aminoethyl ether) N,N,N',N'-tetraacetic acid (EGTA) method, showed that the classical pathway was responsible for the rapid immobilisation of the purified treponemes. However, the slow immobilisation in the EGTA-serum samples suggested a minor role of the alternative pathway in the immobilisation of the purified treponemes. Since the testicular extracts exerted an anti-complement activity, it needs to be investigated whether the protection offered to the purified treponemes by the testicular extracts is based on their deteriorating effect on the classical complement pathway or is due to a re-establishment of the protective cover around the treponemes.

Hay, P E; Tam, F W; Kitchen, V S; Horner, S; Bridger, J; Weber, J

doi: 10.1136/sti.66.5.374pmid: 2245985

Two HIV-infected men are reported who developed gummatous lesions more than 12 months after appropriate treatment of presumptive syphilis. In one patient the lesions developed without any change in the VDRL titre. The most likely explanation for these lesions is reactivation of syphilis in the context of HIV infection. As these lesions respond to penicillin, the possible reactivation of appropriately treated syphilis, or even yaws, should now be considered in any ulcerative lesion in HIV infected individuals at risk from treponemal infection.

Greco, D; Giuliani, M; Suligoi, B; Panatta, M; Giannetti, A

doi: 10.1136/sti.66.5.383pmid: 2245987

Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STD) surveillance has caught the attention of the Italian public health authorities during the past decades. The spread of HIV infection increased the awareness of the need for a better STD surveillance system. This paper reports a retrospective survey of STD clinics in Italy, intended to form an epidemiological base for further development of STD surveillance. The data for 1986-87 and 1988 on a predefined set of diseases, all of them sexually transmitted, were collected from 85 of 127 centres contacted. The data obtained offer the first national figures for some STD not included in the statutory notification list, such as chlamydial infection, herpes and genital warts, as well as HIV infections. Those data show an increase in time frequencies. For gonorrhoea and syphilis, it was possible to compare our data with statutory notifications, showing a large gap between notified and reported cases. This gap is not stable in time (increasing in time) or in geographical area (increasing from north to south).

Thin, R N; Lamb, J

doi: 10.1136/sti.66.5.393pmid: 2245989

The number of patients attending genitourinary medicine (GUM) clinics in Britain has risen greatly in recent years. In contrast there have been very modest increases in staff and there are no data on accommodation or facilities. The Department of Health therefore set up a team to provide guidance on the planning and design of GUM clinics. After a survey the team concluded that GUM clinics in England were poorly and inappropriately accommodated. In their guidance they recommended that GUM clinics are sited in general outpatient departments (OPDs) of general hospitals; this improves patient care simplifying cross referral, consultation and other aspects of operational efficiency and convenience for patients, improves cost effectiveness and increases convenience for staff. Some facilities may be shared. Reception should be an attractive focal point and allow patients to be received and registered in privacy. Facilities for clinical examination are the central part of a clinic. Rooms which allow consultation and examination (CE) rooms of male and female patients maximise efficiency, flexibility and confidentiality. Sound attenuation is vital and decor should be attractive so inspiring confidence by producing a non-institutional atmosphere. An adequate number of CE rooms is essential and the waiting area should be sufficient for booked and walk in patients plus companions. There must be rooms for venepuncture, treatment and colposcopy. Interviewing rooms and offices are important, and there must be a secure health records store. A childrens play area and staff accommodation can be shared. An area for handling and simple investigation of patients' specimens is essential. This guidance should be interpreted flexibly. Though commissioned by the Department of Health for England, it is hoped that it will be useful for planning and designing genitourinary medicine clinics throughout Britain and in other countries.