Neisseria gonorrhoeae and Chlamydia trachomatis infections in patients attending STD and family planning clinics in Bissau, Guinea-Bissau

Accurate clinical and laboratory data about sexually transmitted diseases ( STD) prevalence in Guinea-Bissau are not available, These data are importan t, since HIV2 is prevalent in this country, rates of HIV1 are increasing an d STDs facilitate HIV transmission. Since DNA amplification methods have de monstrated to accurately diagnose chlamydial infections and gonorrhoea, the Amplicor CT/NG PCR Assay with Internal Control of Amplification (Roche Dia gnostic System, Branchburg, NJ, USA) was used to estimate the prevalence of ,Neisseria gonorrhoeae and Chlamydia trachomatis genital infections in STDs and Family Planning Clinic attenders in Bissau, from March to July 1997. T wo hundred and two cervical swabs and 31 urethral swabs were examined. Two women were excluded from this study because their cervical swabs contained inhibitory substances. N. gonorrhoeae was identified in 34/200 (17%) women and in 12/31 (38.7%) men. C, trachomatis was detected in 8/200 (4%) women t here were no positive C. trachomatis results among the 31 men with urethrit is. One woman presented a mixed infection with both organisms. The prevalen ce difference between men and women was not statistically significant (P = 0.6) for C. trachomatis infection, but it was significant for N. gonorrhoea e infection (P = 0.01). The prevalence rates of these infections found in t his study, support the need for an urgent strategy to control STD in the re gion. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.