title: Pattern of sexually transmitted infections: a profile from a sexually transmitted infections clinic of a tertiary care hospital of eastern India.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Sexually transmitted infections (STIs) are public health problems, which significantly increase the risk of HIV transmission. A proper understanding of the pattern of STIs in different geographical regions is important for proper planning of STI control.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To determine the pattern of sexually transmitted diseases in a tertiary care hospital in Eastern India.
  
  
  METHODS
  This is a hospital-based, cross-sectional study done in a tertiary care hospital of Eastern India. All the consecutive patients attending the STI clinic of a tertiary care hospital from January 2011 to December 2011 were included in the study, irrespective of age and sex. Thorough history was taken; proper clinical examination and relevant laboratory investigations were done. STIs were categorized in different syndromes as depicted by National AIDS Control Organization(NACO) in the syndromic management of STIs. The STIs, which were not included in the syndromic management, were also identified by clinical features and investigations. Partner notification and condom promotion was done. The statistical analysis used was Chi-square test using Medcalc(R) statistical software Version 9.3 (Belgium).
  
  
  RESULTS
  The commonest STI was genital herpes. Viral STIs like genital herpes, condyloma acuminata, molluscum contagiosum were more prevalent than the non-viral ones like genital ulcer disease non-herpetic, syphilis. STIs which were not included in the syndromic management like molluscum contagiosum, condyloma acuminata, genital scabies were common. HIV seropositivity in the study population (4.2%) was more than the NACO estimate. Condom promotion, partner notification, and partner management was not adequate. Occurrence of venereophobia was found to be significantly higher in male than in female attendees of STI clinic.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The trend for viral STIs is increasing while that for bacterial STIs is decreasing. Proper training of the health care providers regarding minor STIs, condom promotion, partner notification and partner management, counseling regarding venereophobia should be undertaken to make STI control programs successful.
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, Venereology and Leprosy, School of Tropical Medicine, Kolkata, West Bengal, India.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sarkar
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Shrimal
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Das
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Choudhury
keywords: Asia; Condyloma acuminata; Herpes genitalis; Human immunodeficiency virus; Sexually transmitted disease; Venereophobia
references.citation: Indian J Sex Transm Dis AIDS. 2011 Jul;32(2):86-9
references.pmid: 22021968
references.citation: Indian J Med Res. 2006 Nov;124(5):559-68
references.pmid: 17213525
references.citation: Indian J Dermatol Venereol Leprol. 2009 May-Jun;75(3):329
references.pmid: 19439906
references.citation: Fam Plann Perspect. 2000 Jan-Feb;32(1):24-32, 45
references.pmid: 10710703
references.citation: Indian J Dermatol Venereol Leprol. 2000 Mar-Apr;66(2):69-72
references.pmid: 20877030
references.citation: Indian J Dermatol Venereol Leprol. 2005 Sep-Oct;71(5):333-7
references.pmid: 16394458
references.citation: Indian J Dermatol Venereol Leprol. 2003 Mar-Apr;69(2):151-3
references.pmid: 17642864
references.citation: Indian J Dermatol Venereol Leprol. 2002 Mar-Apr;68(2):65-6
references.pmid: 17656879
references.citation: Med J Aust. 1994 Mar 21;160(6):358-63,366
references.pmid: 8133821
references.citation: Commun Dis Rep CDR Suppl. 1998 Dec;8(7):S1-11
references.pmid: 9879128