Chlamydia trachomatis serovars in community-based HIV-positive and HIV-negative men who have sex with men in Sydney, Australia.

OBJECTIVES: There are few data on the distribution of specific Chlamydia trachomatis serovars among men who have sex with men (MSM) outside clinical settings. To investigate these patterns, serovar determination was performed on chlamydia-positive samples from two community-based cohort studies of HIV-positive and HIV-negative MSM in Sydney, Australia. METHODS: From January 2005 to June 2007 all positive C trachomatis pharyngeal, urine and anal samples were evaluated. The serovar of each C trachomatis infection was determined by omp1 gene sequencing with confirmatory quantitative PCR screening. Symptom data were routinely reported by study participants at the time of testing. RESULTS: Serovar determination was possible for 54 samples among 52 participants. Seven samples were not able to be typed. Site-specific symptoms were reported by fewer than 10% of participants diagnosed with pharyngeal and anogenital chlamydia. The most commonly identified serovars were serovar D (n=32, 59.3%, 95% CI 45.0 to 72.4), followed by serovar G (n=11, 20.4%, 95% CI 10.6 to 33.5) and serovar J (n=5, 9.3%, 95% CI 3.1 to 20.3). Only one lymphogranuloma venereum serovar was identified (L2b). CONCLUSIONS: This community-based study found a similar distribution of chlamydia serovars to that observed among Australian community-based MSM several years ago, and serovar distribution recently observed among predominantly symptomatic MSM at a Sydney clinic. These findings suggest little change in C trachomatis serovar distribution in Australian MSM over the past decade and a lack of correlation of specific chlamydia serovars with anogenital symptoms among MSM.

The contribution of Mycoplasma genitalium to the aetiology of sexually acquired infectious proctitis in men who have sex with men.

This study examined the contribution of Mycoplasma genitalium to sexually acquired infectious proctitis in men who have sex with men (MSM). MSM with symptomatic proctitis between May 2012 and August 2013 were tested for rectal sexually transmitted infections including chlamydia, gonorrhoea, herpes simplex virus (HSV) and M. genitalium. The load of rectal M. genitalium in men with symptomatic proctitis was compared with a separate group of men who had rectal M. genitalium but no symptoms of proctitis. Among 154 MSM with proctitis, rectal M. genitalium was detected in 18 men (12%, 95% CI 6.9-17.1) and was significantly more common among human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) -positive men (21%, 95% CI 9.5-32.6) than HIV-negative men (8%, 95% CI 2.9-13.1; prevalence ratio 3.2, 95% CI 1.2-8.8). Among HIV-positive men the detection of M. genitalium was comparable to that for chlamydia (21%, 95% CI 9.5-32.5), gonorrhoea (25%, 95% CI 16.2-41.8) and HSV (19%, 95% CI 7.9-30.1). Rectal M. genitalium load was significantly higher among the 18 men with symptomatic M. genitalium-associated proctitis than among a separate group of 18 men with asymptomatic rectal M. genitalium infection (60 000 copies of organism/swab versus 10 744 copies of organism/swab, p 0.023). Comprehensive testing for rectal pathogens in MSM with proctitis should include testing for M. genitalium.

A malignant mixed salivary tumour and a mammary carcinoma in a young wild eastern spotted native cat Dasyurus viverrinus (Marsupialia).

This report contains the first description of a salivary gland tumour in a dasyurid marsupial; the same animal also had a mammary carcinoma. All the previously described neoplasms have been in animals held in captivity for varying periods of time, whereas the case reported here was a young animal trapped in the wild and killed three days later. The development of tumours in the natural environment is important aetiologically.

Haematology of the Australian eastern quoll, Dasyurus viverrinus--II. Red cell enzymes and metabolic intermediates.

1. The activity of 21 red cell enzymes and three red cell metabolic intermediates were measured in adult Dasyurus viverrinus and compared with published data on other marsupials. 2. Phosphofructokinase (PFK), glyceraldehyde dehydrogenase (GAPD) and phosphoglycerate kinase (PGK) were elevated in comparison to other marsupials. 3. Enolase (ENO) and 2,3-diphosphoglycerate (2,3 DPG) were lower than in other marsupials.