A SURVEY OF SEXUALLY-TRANSMITTED DISEASES IN 5 STD CLINICS IN PAPUA-NEW-GUINEA

The first multicentre survey of sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) p erformed in Papua New Guinea was conducted in STD clinics in five town s, Port Moresby, Goroka, Rabaul, Lae and Darn, from September 1989 to May 1990, Infections with Neisseria gonorrhoeae and Chlamydia trachoma tis (alone or in combination) were common, Penicillinase-producing N. gonorrhoeae (PPNG) represented 44% of all gonococcal isolates but sign ificant intrinsic resistance to penicillin was not found. Of the other antibiotics tested, significant elevation of minimum inhibitory conce ntration (MIG) was common only for tetracycline, although no high-leve l tetracycline resistance was detected, C. trachomatis was detected by direct immunofluorescence (DIF) in 26% of 210 males and 27% of 64 fem ales, 10% (21/210) of males and 11% (7/64) of females were both DIF po sitive for C, trachomatis and culture positive for N, gonorrhoeae. Of 203 males and 78 females tested, 5% and 12%, respectively, had serolog ical evidence of current syphilis infection. Clinically, genital ulcer disease was most commonly due to syphilis, donovanosis or genital her pes, while specific vaginal infections were commonly seen in female pa tients attending Port Moresby and Lae STD clinics.