High prevalence of sexually transmitted diseases in a rural area in Mozambique

OBJECTIVE--To assess the extent of the sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) problem in a rural area of Mozambique. METHODS--A cross sectional study among pregnant women and patients presenting with genital complaints. Laboratory confirmation was done for gonorrhoea, chlamydial infection, active syph...

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Published in:Genitourinary Medicine 1993-12, Vol.69 (6), p.427-430
Main Authors: Vuylsteke, B, Bastos, R, Barreto, J, Crucitti, T, Folgosa, E, Mondlane, J, Dusauchoit, T, Piot, P, Laga, M
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adolescent
Adult
AIDS/HIV
Biological and medical sciences
Chlamydia Infections - epidemiology
Female
General aspects
Genital Diseases, Female - epidemiology
Genital Diseases, Male - epidemiology
Gonorrhea - epidemiology
HIV Infections - epidemiology
Human infectious diseases. Experimental studies and models
Humans
Infectious diseases
Male
Medical sciences
Mozambique - epidemiology
Population
Pregnancy
Pregnancy Complications, Infectious - epidemiology
Prevalence
Rural Health
Sexually Transmitted Diseases - epidemiology
Syphilis - epidemiology
Ulcer - epidemiology
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Summary:OBJECTIVE--To assess the extent of the sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) problem in a rural area of Mozambique. METHODS--A cross sectional study among pregnant women and patients presenting with genital complaints. Laboratory confirmation was done for gonorrhoea, chlamydial infection, active syphilis, trichomoniasis and HIV infection. SETTING--A primary health care setting in Vilanculos, Inhambane province, Mozambique. RESULTS--Evidence of one or more of the above STDs was found in 51% of 201 pregnant women, 56% of 85 women and 62% of 77 men with genital complaints. Neisseria gonorrhoea or Chlamydia trachomatis were found in 16% of pregnant women, 23% of female patients and 28% of male patients; genital ulcer disease was present in 6%, 28% and 36%, of respectively pregnant women, female and male patients. The prevalence of active syphilis was about the same in the three groups of study subjects, that is 15%. HIV infection was found in 4% of the male patients; no HIV infection could be detected in the female groups. CONCLUSION--STDs were a major health problem in this rural area in Mozambique. Though HIV infection was still low, the high prevalence of STDs indicates that the potential is there for an explosive spread of the HIV/AIDS epidemic.
ISSN:0266-4348
1368-4973
1472-3263
DOI:10.1136/sti.69.6.427