title: Sexually transmitted diseases in men in Mogadishu, Somalia.
abstract: The prevalence of viral and bacterial sexually transmitted diseases were studied in 101 men attending a dermatovenereal outpatient clinic in Mogadishu. A control group of 103 healthy adult men were included for the serological part of the study. Serological markers of hepatitis B virus (HBV), human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), cytomegalovirus (CMV) and herpes simplex virus (HSV) were studied. All sera were tested for syphilis markers. HBV serum markers were detected in 84% of the men in the study group and 66% of the healthy controls (P less than 0.005). Hepatitis B virus carriers were detected more frequently in the study group than among the controls. Also, 96% of the men in both groups had CMV antibodies and all of them had antibodies to HSV. No sera were found to contain HIV antibodies. The TPHA-positivity was 10% and 3% in the study and control groups respectively, and 5% of the patients had syphilis IgM antibodies. Sexual contact with prostitutes was recorded in 54% and 48% respectively of patients and controls, and such contact was correlated with TPHA-positivity in the study group. Chlamydia trachomatis antigen was detected in urogenital specimens of 14% of the men in the study group and gonococcal culture was positive in 53% of those with urethral discharge.
authors.affiliation: Karolinska Institute, Department of Clinical Bacteriology, Huddinge Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden.
authors.forename: S O
authors.initials: SO
authors.lastname: Ismail
authors.forename: H J
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Ahmed
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Grillner
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Hederstedt
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Issa
authors.forename: S M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Bygdeman
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002690:Chlamydia Infections / Q000453:epidemiology; D003586:Cytomegalovirus Infections / Q000453:epidemiology; D006069:Gonorrhea / Q000453:epidemiology; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000453:epidemiology*; D006509:Hepatitis B / Q000453:epidemiology; D006561:Herpes Simplex / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D012725:Sexual Behavior; D012749:Sexually Transmitted Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology*; D012998:Somalia / Q000453:epidemiology; D013587:Syphilis / Q000453:epidemiology