Pattern of childhood STDs in a major hospital of East Delhi.
Of the 1418 patients with STDs, who attended the STD clinic between January 1996 to December 2000, 50 (3.4%) were children below 14 years of age. Boys (29) were more than girls (21). Syphilis was the most common STD found in these children (46.8%), followed by vulvo-vaginal candidiasis (19.2%), condylomata acuminata (10.6%), gonorrhoea (8.5%), herpes progenitalis (6.4%), chancroid (4.3%), perianal candidosis and perianal molluscum contagiosum (2.1 % each). Three children had more than one STD. A history of sexual abuse could be elicited in 30 children (60%), none of the children were positive of HIV. All children with symptoms pertaining to their genitourinary system should be evaluated thoroughtly for sexual abuse.
Department of Dermatology and Venereology, University Collage of Medical Science and Associated Guru Teg Bahadur Hospital, Shahdara, Delhi, India.
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Bhogal
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Chauhan
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Baruah