Prevalence of certain sexually transmitted diseases in Egypt.

The prevalence of STD continues to increase throughout the world threatening millions of people. However, the actual incidence of STD is not known in most countries. Little work was done to evaluate the size of this problem in Egypt. This study aimed to identify the most prevalent sexually transmitted organisms among patients attending the STD clinic at Cairo Hospital for Skin and Venereal Diseases (El-Haud El-Marsoud). Among the patients attending this clinic complaining of one or more STD or not complaining, but attending the clinic for screening for fear from STD due to their sex behavior, from October 1993, to April 1995, 95 cases were studied. This was done by history taking, clinical, bacteriological and Certain demographic and interacting with sexual serological examinations. socioeconomic factors attitudes and practices were also studied. Data were recorded in special sheets. The results of this study showed that 68 (71.6%) patients had one or more ST organisms (positive cases) while no ST organisms could be detected in the remaining 27 (28.4%) cases (negative cases). Positive cases were more prevalent n adolescents and young adults (58.8%). A high prevalence of STD was detected in males (73.5%) than females (26.5%); in sinlges (64.7%) than married (30.9%), divorced (2.9%) or widowed (1.5%). The rate of the positive cases was high among those having 5 or more sexual partners and in heterosexuals. All STD positive patients were not condom users except one patient. Most of patients were not drug abusers (66.2%) and were of low socioeconomic class (85.3%). STD were common among those with preparatory school education level (32.4%), or illiterate (26.5%) than those with primary school level (16.2%) or university or institute degree (13.2%) or secondary school degree (11.8%) of education. Among the 68 positive cases, N. gonorrhoeae was isolated from 36.8%, T. pallidum was detected in 30.9%. Using the appropriate serological techniques, HBV and HIV were detected in 14.7% and HCV in 11.8%. G. vaginalis was isolated from 11.8%; each of group B Streptococci and Strept. pneumoniae was isolated from 4.4% and each of T. vaginalis and C. albicans was isolated from 1.5%. Concomitant STD were detected in 18 out of 68 patients. So, STD is a variable state regarding the number of the causative organisms and their relative incidence according to several factors. For that, the state of STD in any location must be checked periodically to plan restrictive managing and controlling programs.