Author(s): Minetti, Corrado ; Rocha, Miguel ; Duque, Luís Miguel ; Meireles, Paula ; Correia, Cristina ; Cordeiro, Dora ; João, Inês ; et al.
Date: 2024
Persistent ID: http://hdl.handle.net/10400.26/51018
Origin: Grupo de Ativistas em Tratamentos
Subject(s): sexually transmitted infections; Men who have sex with men; HIV; Chlamydia; Gonorrhea; screening
Background: Men who have sex with men (MSM) are at risk for sexually transmitted infections (STIs), but more data on extragenital carriage are needed. Aim: We assessed the genital and extragenital prevalence of bacterial and other STIs in MSM in a Lisbon sexual health clinic. Methods: We screened oral, anal, and urine samples of MSM visiting the GAT-CheckpointLX clinic June 2017-December 2021 for Chlamydia trachomatis (including lymphogranuloma venereum, LGV), Neisseria gonorrhoeae, Mycoplasma genitalium, Trichomonas vaginalis, Mycoplasma hominis, Ureaplasma urealyticum, and U. parvum. Ano-oro-genital lesions were tested for LGV, Treponema pallidum, and Herpes Simplex Virus. Blood was tested for HIV and T. pallidum antibodies. Results: N. gonorrhoeae was found in 16.6% of the MSM followed by C. trachomatis (13.2%), M. genitalium (10.3%) and T. vaginalis (0.2%). The most frequent occurrence was anorectal (C. trachomatis, M. genitalium) and oral (N. gonorrhoeae). We found high carriage of U. urealyticum (36.1%) and M. hominis (22.1%). LGV was detected in 21.8% of chlamydia-positive anorectal swabs. Syphilis was detected in 22.6% of tested MSM, while 13.8% had HIV. Gonorrhoea and chlamydia were significantly more prevalent in MSM with concomitant HIV or syphilis. Conclusion: The substantial extragenital prevalence of bacterial STIs in MSM, and HIV and syphilis coinfections, suggest screening has value in identifying hidden carriage and in contributing for providing better care.
