title: Sexually transmitted infections among Pakistani pregnant women and their husbands in Norway.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess frequency and determine the factors associated with Chlamydia trachomatis, herpes simplex virus type 2, and hepatitis B seropositivity among Pakistani pregnant women and their husbands in Norway.
  
  
  METHODS
  All together 112 couples of Pakistani origin living in Norway participated in our study. Blood samples were tested for immunoglobulin G (IgG) antibodies against C. trachomatis, herpes simplex virus type 2, and hepatitis B.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Pakistani women had significantly lower age, education level, and years of residence in Norway compared to their male partners. Among the men, 12% had positive chlamydial IgG antibodies in contrast to 1% of the women. These couples were discordant, meaning that the 13 wives of positive men were not infected with C. trachomatis, and the husband of one positive woman was not infected either. Four percent of women and 2% of men were positive for herpes simplex type 2. Only one couple was concordantly positive for herpes simplex type 2, the remaining four couples were discordant. Twelve percent of women and 21% of men were, or had been, infected with hepatitis B.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Sexually transmitted infections did not seem to be prevalent in Pakistani immigrant couples in Norway. However, it was striking that most couples were discordant. Pakistani immigrants should be offered hepatitis B vaccine.
authors.affiliation: Medical Faculty, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway. eng@online.no
authors.forename: Soen Eng Yap
authors.initials: SE
authors.lastname: Bjerke
authors.forename: Ellen
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Holter
authors.forename: Siri
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Vangen
authors.forename: Babill
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Stray-Pedersen