title: High Prevalence of Asymptomatic Sexually Transmitted Infections among Men Who Have Sex with Men.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Men who have sex with men (MSM) are disproportionately affected by sexually transmitted infection. The aim of this cross-sectional study is to prospectively detect the prevalence of chlamydia trachomatis (CT), neisseria gonorrhoeae (NG), mycoplasma genitalium (MG), and high risk human papillomavirus (HR-HPV), and syphilis in a population of asymptomatic sexually active MSM.
  
  
  METHODS
  Rectal, pharyngeal, and urine samples for CT, NG, MG, and HR-HPV were analyzed in 116 MSM patients attending the clinic for their routine follow-up during the period the study was conducted: 99 patients were issued from the clinic routine follow-up for their HIV infection, and 17 attended the clinic because they were sexual partners of an HIV infected male.
  
  
  RESULTS
  An STI was found in 16% of the patients (19/116), with at least one bacterial strain (CT, NG, or MG) found in one site (the pharynx, rectum, or urine).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In this study, 16% of the MSM reporting recent RAI were asymptomatic carriers of rectal CT, NG, or MG. According to the high prevalence of asymptomatic STIs found in our MSM population and in other studies, prevention efforts in the form of counseling about the risk of STI need to be done in the population of MSM.
authors.affiliation: Interne et Maladies Infectieuses, Hôpital Européen, 13003 Marseille, France. pp.doc@wanadoo.fr.
authors.forename: Patrick
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Philibert
authors.affiliation: Recherche et Développement, Laboratoire Alphabio, 1 rue Melchior Guinot, 13003 Marseille, France. h.khiri@alphabio.fr.
authors.forename: Hacène
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Khiri
authors.affiliation: Recherche et Développement, Laboratoire Alphabio, 1 rue Melchior Guinot, 13003 Marseille, France. g.penaranda@alphabio.fr.
authors.forename: Guillaume
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Pénaranda
authors.affiliation: Recherche et Développement, Laboratoire Alphabio, 1 rue Melchior Guinot, 13003 Marseille, France. c.camus@alphabio.fr.
authors.forename: Claire
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Camus
authors.affiliation: Interne et Maladies Infectieuses, Hôpital Européen, 13003 Marseille, France. mp_drogoul@CH-AmbroisePare.fr.
authors.forename: Marie-Pierre
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: Drogoul
authors.affiliation: Interne et Maladies Infectieuses, Hôpital Européen, 13003 Marseille, France. philippe.halfon@alphabio.fr.|Recherche et Développement, Laboratoire Alphabio, 1 rue Melchior Guinot, 13003 Marseille, France. philippe.halfon@alphabio.fr.
authors.forename: Philippe
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Halfon
keywords: chlamydia trachomatis; high risk HPV infection; men who have sex with men; mycoplasma genitalium; neisseria gonorrhoeae; sexually transmitted infection