title: Asymptomatic gonorrhoea and chlamydial infection in rural Tanzanian men.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To measure the prevalence of urethritis due to Neisseria gonorrhoeae and Chlamydial infection trachomatis in rural Tanzanian men
  
  
  METHODS
  About 500 men aged 15-54 years were selected from each of 12 rural communities by random cluster sampling; interviewed concerning past or present symptoms of sexually transmitted diseases; and asked to provide a first catch urine specimen, which was tested for pyuria with a leucocyte esterase dipstick test. Subjects with symptoms or with a positive result on testing were examined, and urethral swabs were taken for detection of N gonorrhoeae by gram stain and of C trachomatis by antigen detection immunoassay.
  
  
  METHODS
  Mwanza region, north western Tanzania.
  
  
  METHODS
  5876 men aged 15-54 years.
  
  
  METHODS
  Prevalence of urethral symptoms, observed urethral discharge, pyuria, urethritis ( > 4 pus cells per high power field on urethral smear), N gonorrhoeae infection (intracellular gram negative diplococci), and C trachomatis infection (IDEIA antigen detection assay).
  
  
  RESULTS
  1618 (28%) subjects reported ever having a urethral discharge. Current discharge was reported by 149 (2.5%) and observed on examination in 207 (3.5%). Gonorrhoea was found in 128 subjects (2.2%) and chlamydial infection in 39 (0.7%). Only 24 of 158 infected subjects complained of urethral discharge at the time of interview (15%).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Infection with N gonorrhoeae and C trachomatis is commonly asymptomatic among men in this rural African population. This has important implications for the design of control programmes for sexually transmitted disease.
authors.affiliation: National Institute for Medical Research, Mwanza, Tanzania.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Grosskurth
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Mayaud
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Mosha
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Todd
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Senkoro
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Newell
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Gabone
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Changalucha
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: West
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Hayes
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002690:Chlamydia Infections / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000382:microbiology; D002692:Chlamydia trachomatis / Q000302:isolation & purification; D006069:Gonorrhea / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000382:microbiology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009344:Neisseria gonorrhoeae / Q000302:isolation & purification; D015995:Prevalence; D012423:Rural Health; D013636:Tanzania / Q000453:epidemiology; D014522:Urethral Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology; D014526:Urethritis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology