Prevalence of Chlamydia trachomatis & herpes simplex virus in males with urethritis & females with cervicitis attending STD clinic.
OBJECTIVE
Cervicitis and urethritis due to Chlamydia trachomatis are common sexually transmitted diseases. However, there is a paucity of information on urethritis and mucopurulent cervicitis due to herpes simplex virus (HSV) from India. We used polymerase chain reaction (PCR) to find out the prevalence of C. trachomatis and HSV associated urethritis in males and mucopurulent cervicitis in females attending a sexually transmitted diseases (STD) clinic.


METHODS
Twenty five endocervical swabs from 25 women with mucopurulent cervicitis and 75 urethral swabs from 72 males with urethritis were processed for the detection of C. trachomatis and HSV by antigen detection by fluorescent antibody test (FAT), culture and PCR.


RESULTS
Among the 25 women, one (4.0%) was positive for C. trachomatis and 3 (12.0%) were positive for HSV by PCR. FAT and culture were negative. Nine (12.0%) of the 75 urethral swabs were positive for C. trachomatis and 5 (6.6%) were positive for HSV by PCR. Among the 9 positive by PCR for C. trachomatis, 3 (4.0%) were positive by FAT. Cultures for both organisms were negative.


CONCLUSIONS
Endocervicitis and male urethritis due to C. trachomatis and HSV are not uncommon among high-risk individuals. The diagnosis could be established mainly by PCR.
Malathi
J
J
Larsen & Toubro Microbiology Research Centre, Vision Research Foundation, Sankara Nethralaya, Chennai, India.
Madhavan
H N
HN
Therese
K L
KL
Rinku
J P
JP
Narendar
K P
KP
D000554:Ambulatory Care Facilities; D002690:Chlamydia Infections / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D002692:Chlamydia trachomatis / Q000235:genetics; D005260:Female; D006558:Herpes Genitalis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology; D006561:Herpes Simplex / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012307:Risk Factors; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D018139:Simplexvirus / Q000235:genetics; D014526:Urethritis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000821:virology*; D002575:Uterine Cervicitis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000821:virology*