Rise in prevalence of genital ulcers among STD clinic attenders in Jamaica: significance for HIV transmission - abstract

Two cross-sectional surveys were undertaken to estimate the prevalence of genital ulcer disease (GUD) in all clients presenting at the Comprehensive Health Centre in Kingston, Jamaica with a new STD complaint. The first survey done in 1983 involved 23,050 clients (men 11,948; women 11,102). The second survey in 1990 involved 1,001 clients (men 517; women 484). All clients were screened for syphilis and in 1990 for HIV. Culture for herpes virus was done on a subsample of 103 persons seen in 1983, but in the main, diagnoses were clinical. In 1983, GUD was found in 1,571 clients, an overall prevalence of 6.8 percent (men 1,110, 9.3 percent; women 461, 4.2 percent). Of those with GUD, genital herpes was diagnosed in 267 (17 percent); syphilis in 203 (12.9 percent); chancroid in 195 (12.4 percent); viral warts in 89 (5.7 percent); lymphogranuloma venereum in 65 (4.1 percent) and granuloma inguinale in 55 (3.6 percent). A diagnosis could not be made in 697 (44.5 percent) cases. All conditions were significantly higher in men (p<0.001) except for syphilis which was higher in women (p<0.05) and viral warts, where there was no significant difference. In 1990, GUD was found in 128 clients, an overall prevalence of 12.8 percent (men 95, 18.2 percent; women 33, 6.8 percent). Of clients with GUD, syphilis was diagnosed in 24 (18.8 percent); chancroid in 17 (13.3 percent); genital herpes in 10 (7.8 percent); viral warts in 8 (6.3 percent); lymphogranuloma venereum in 5 (3.9 percent) and granuloma inguinale in 3 (2.3 percent). A diagnosis could not be made in 61/128, 47.6 percent of cases in 1990. The prevalence of HIV was 28/1,001 (3.2 percent). A significant association was found between GUD and HIV infection (men with current GUD: OR 7.3, CI1.4 - 72; women with history of "bad blood" (syphilis): OR 6.6, CI 1.3-30). Overall prevalence rates of GUD were significantly higher in 1990 than in 1983 for both sexes (p<0.001), as well as total rates for each sex (males p< 0.001, females p<0.004) (AU)

Rising HIV-1 prevalence among sexually transmitted disease clinic attenders in Jamaica: traumatic sex and genital ulcers as risk factors

Between November 1990 and January 1991, status of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection was assessed for 522 men and 484 women attending the Comprehensive Health Centre in Kingston, Jamaica, for a new sexually transmitted disease (STD) complaint. Prevalence of HIV type 1 (HIV-1) infection was 3.1 percent (31 of 1,006), a tenfold rise in seroprevalence in 4.5 years. Nineteen of 517 (3.7 percent) heterosexual men, 3 of 5 (60 percent) homosexual/bisexual men, and 9 of 484 (1.9 percent) women were infected with HIV. In heterosexual men, factors associated with HIV infection after age adjustment included present complaints of genital ulcers [odds ratio (OR) 7.3; 95 percent confidence interval (CI) 1.4-72], past history of genital ulcer (OR)4.3; CI, 1.4-12), positive MHATP syphilis serology (OR, 3.4; CI, 1.1-10), sex with a prostitute in the past month (OR, 3.8; CI, 1.1-11). Three or more sex partners in the month prior to the complaint (OR, 3.6; CI, 1.0-12), and bruising during sex (OR, 4.0; CI, 1.4-13). On multiple logistic regression analysis, independent associations with HIV infection were shown for bruising during sex (OR, 3.0; CI, 1.1-8.3), positive MHATP syphilis serology (OR,3.2; CI, 1.1-9.5), and history of genital ulcer (OR 2.9; CI, 1.0-8.0). (AU)

Clinical and cytogenetic observations on four true hermaphrodites

The chromosome constitution and clinical management of four true hermaphrodites are presented. The aetiology is reviewed in the light of the findings in 40 cases, and the relationship between the nature of the gonads and development of the genitalia discussed. Emphasis is placed on early diagnosis and conversion to as normal a state as possible in order to avoid any later disturbances in upbringing (AU)