title: Epidemiological and clinical characteristics of patients attending STI clinics in Tuscany, Italy: a multicenter report on new infections in 2011.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was to assess the demographic, behavioral and clinical features associated with newly diagnosed sexually transmitted infections (STIs) among attendees from four STI Clinics during 2011 in Tuscany, Central Italy.
  
  
  METHODS
  Electronic and non-electronic medical records of attendees were reviewed to collect socio-demographical and anamnestic characteristics of patients, and to assess the annual incidence and distribution of STIs.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The study included 1293 subjects, for a total number of 1394 newly diagnosed STIs. The male/female ratio was about 2:1, and Italian nationality accounted for 84.1% of the sample. MSM represented the 25.9% of the male population. Condom use was very poor in the large majority of our sample. Genital warts and non-gonococcal cervicitis and urethritis were the most frequent STIs. Anamnestic STIs were recorded in 350 subjects. When stratified for sexual preference, men who have sex with men were found at four to ten fold increased risk for syphilis, gonorrhoeae and HIV infection. New diagnoses of syphilis, gonorrhoea, urethritis and molluscum were strictly associated with infections by the same pathogens in the past (re-infections).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Results show that STIs in Tuscany involve a mixed young to adult population, composed by both heterosexual and homosexual subjects who practice unprotected sex and do not seem to be conscious of the associated risks, as demonstrated by the high rates of coinfections and reinfections. These findings reinforce the need for greater education and prevention efforts for HIV and other STIs among the Tuscan population.
authors.affiliation: Unit for STD and AIDS, Department of Dermatology University of Florence, Florence, Italy - barbara.giomi@unifi.it.
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Giomi
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Silvestri
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Bravi
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Foretic
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Zuccati
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Martini
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Bilenchi
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Vichi
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Voller
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Cipriani
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000453:epidemiology*; D020010:Heterosexuality / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006716:Homosexuality / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007558:Italy / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008499:Medical Records; D008875:Middle Aged; D012725:Sexual Behavior / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012749:Sexually Transmitted Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology*; D055815:Young Adult