title: Screening for Neisseria gonorrhoeae and Chlamydia trachomatis at entertainment venues among men who have sex with men.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  To assess the prevalence and increase awareness of Neisseria gonorrhoeae and Chlamydia trachomatis infections among men who have sex with men, a screening program was conducted at three inner-city homosexual entertainment venues and one community function.
  
  
  METHODS
  Each venue was accessed twice over a 3-month period between March and June 2000. First-catch urine specimens were collected for analysis by polymerase chain reaction (PCR), and throat swabs were collected for culture and PCR.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 202 men were tested during the 7 screening nights, including 16 who were tested more than once. From the 186 men tested for the first time, 184 urine specimens were collected, of which 8 (4.3%; 95% CI, 1.9-7.8%) were PCR-positive for C trachomatis and 1 (0.5%; 95% CI, 0-2.1%) was PCR-positive for N gonorrhoeae. Of the 161 throat swabs collected, none were positive for C trachomatis or N gonorrhoeae.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  C trachomatis is a potentially significant pathogen in this population of urban homosexual men. Screening programs such as these are valuable as health-promotion exercises.
authors.affiliation: Brisbane Sexual Health & AIDS Service, The Prince Charles Hospital Health Service District, 484 Adelaide Street, Brisbane, Queensland 4000, Australia. joedebat@powerup.com.au
authors.forename: Joseph
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Debattista
authors.forename: Chris
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Clementson
authors.forename: Drew
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Mason
authors.forename: John
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Dwyer
authors.forename: Shelly
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Argent
authors.forename: Charlotte
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Woodward
authors.forename: Judith
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Dean
authors.forename: Lorraine
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Buks
authors.forename: Mark
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Copley
authors.forename: Greg
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Hinwood
authors.forename: Craig
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Benfield
authors.forename: Paul
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Walton
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002690:Chlamydia Infections / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000652:urine; D002692:Chlamydia trachomatis / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification; D004269:DNA, Bacterial / Q000235:genetics; D006069:Gonorrhea / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000652:urine; D018451:Homosexuality, Male / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008403:Mass Screening / Q000379:methods; D009344:Neisseria gonorrhoeae / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification; D010614:Pharynx / Q000382:microbiology; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D015995:Prevalence; D011793:Queensland / Q000453:epidemiology; D011998:Recreation; D014504:Urban Health
chemical_list: D004269:DNA, Bacterial