Epidemiologic Profile of the Main Bacterial Sexually Transmitted Infections During the SARS-CoV-2 Pandemic. / Comportamiento de las principales infecciones de transmisión sexual bacterianas durante la pandemia por SARS-CoV-2.

INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVE: The SARS-CoV-2 pandemic brought about social changes in 2020 and 2021. The aim of this study was to evaluate the epidemiologic profiles of the main sexually transmitted infections (STIs) of bacterial origin (chlamydia, gonorrhea, and syphilis) diagnosed during this period and compare them to findings from previous years. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Drawing on data from Hospital General Universitario in Valencia, Spain, we recorded the number of chlamydia, gonorrhea, and syphilis cases diagnosed monthly by multiplex PCR in 2018-2021 and the number of PCR-confirmed SARS-CoV-2 cases diagnosed monthly in 2020-2021. We also collected clinical and demographic information on all patients diagnosed with STIs during the years studied. RESULTS: The total number of STIs diagnosed increased from 570 in 2018-2019 to 664 in 2020-2021. PCR positivity rates were similar in the 2 periods, but the incidence rates were higher during the pandemic. The chronologic correlation between SARS-CoV-2 and STI positivity was negative. Mean age at diagnosis was 29.64 years (95% CI, 19.33-41.14) for chlamydia, 30.86 years (95% CI, 20.24-42.45) for gonorrhea, and 37.04 years (95% CI, 26.01-51.00) for syphilis. The number of men diagnosed with chlamydia increased by 13.85% (95% CI, 6.39-21.08; P=.0003) during the pandemic. CONCLUSIONS: We observed a negative correlation between SARS-CoV-2 infections and STIs during the pandemic and an increase in chlamydia cases among men. STI cases rose during 2020-2021, indicating that they remain a significant problem that needs to be addressed in young and adult populations.

Changes in the Prevalence of Human Papillomavirus Genotypes in Genital Warts Since the Introduction of Prophylactic Vaccines. / Modificación de la prevalencia de genotipos del virus del papiloma humano en los condilomas acuminados tras la instauración de la vacuna profiláctica.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Genital warts are caused by the human papillomavirus (HPV), whose genotypes have traditionally been classified as low risk or high risk (oncogenic). The first 2 prophylactic vaccines included the most common genotypes at the time: HPV-6, HPV-11, HPV-16, and HPV-18. The aim of this study was to evaluate the prevalence of HPV types in our setting 10 years after the introduction of HPV vaccines. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Descriptive, observational, retrospective study of patients diagnosed with genital warts at the sexually transmitted infection unit of a dermatology department between January 2016 and June 2019. RESULTS: In total, 362 patients were diagnosed with genital warts during the study period, and 212 (58.6%) underwent genotyping. Thirty-two distinct HPV types were observed, the most common being HPV-6, HPV-11, HPV-16, and HPV-42. HPV DNA was detected in 93.9% of the samples analyzed, and there were 299 genotypes (mean, 1.5 per patient). Overall, 26.6% of patients had more than a single HPV genotype, while 24.1% had at least 1 high-risk type. No significant associations were found between the presence of high-risk HPV types and any of the study variables. At least 2 of the 4 HPV types targeted in the original vaccines were detected in 94.1% of lesions. CONCLUSIONS: Compared to 10 years ago, the prevalences of HPV types included in the first 2 prophylactic vaccines have decreased, while the proportion of patients with at least 1 of the 4 most common types has remained unchanged. We also observed a slight increase in infections with multiple HPV types or at least 1 high-risk type.

Contact Allergy in Patients with Rosacea. / Sensibilización alérgica de contacto en pacientes con rosácea.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Rosacea is a chronic acneiform skin disorder in which impaired skin barrier function can lead to sensitization to allergens. We aimed to analyze contact allergies in our patients with rosacea. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Retrospective cohort study of all patients who underwent patch testing in our skin allergy clinic between May 1991 and May 2019. RESULTS: A total of 200 patients with rosacea were referred to our clinic for patch testing during the study period; they represented 2.1% of all patch tested patients in the period. Eighty-one percent were women (mean age, 44.7years). At least 1positive patch test was recorded for 46.5%; 15% were of current relevance. The most frequent positive reaction was to nickel (26%), followed by cobalt chloride (6.5%), isothiazolinones (6%), p-phenylenediamine (5.5%), fragrance mixII (5%), and thimerosal (3.5%). The most common currently relevant patch test reactions were to isothiazolinones in 10 of the 200 patients (5%); to phenylenediamine, fragrance mixII, and toluensulfonamide formaldehyde resin in 4 patients (2%) each; and to tixocortol and fragrance mixI in 2 patients (1%) each. The allergen groups most often implicated were metals (of current relevance in 12.6%) and drugs (of current relevance in 25.8%). Preservatives and fragrances were the next most common allergen groups, and 70.8% and 43.7% of the positive reactions in these groups, respectively, were of current relevance. Cosmetics were the most frequent source of sensitization, followed by topical medications - notably corticosteroids and antifungal agents. CONCLUSIONS: We emphasize the high prevalence of allergic contact dermatitis in patients with rosacea, a finding which supports patch testing, especially if eruptions worsen when these patients use cosmetics and topical medications.