Comparative analysis on both high risk behaviours, infection of HIV and syphilis between married and unmarried men who have sex with men / 中华流行病学杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To understand the distribution of marriage status among men who have sex with men (MSM) in the city of Changzhou, and to explore the impact of marriage on AIDS related high risk behaviors and HIV infection in this population.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Target sampling (snowball sampling) was adopted to carry out a cross-sectional study, and structured questionnaire-based interviews were conducted to collect information on social demography, HIV related high risk behaviors. Blood and urine samples were collected to detect HIV, syphilis, gonorrhea and Chlamydia trachomatis infections.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Of the 655 participants, 37.4% were married. Married MSM mostly sought their sexual partners at the public bathing house (61.6%), while unmarried MSM were mainly through bars (33.6%) or internet (31.1%). The proportion of having anal sex with men during the last 6 months was lower in the married group (50.8%) than in the unmarried group (73.3%), (P < 0.001) The percentage of having sex with women in the last 6 months was significantly higher in the married group (68.9%) than that in the unmarried group (33.2%) (P < 0.001), (OR = 4.454, 95%CI: 3.168 - 6.261). The rates of condom use in the last anal sex with men in married and unmarried groups were 71.0% and 77.6%, respectively (P = 0.152). The rate of condom use in the last intercourse with women was significantly lower in the married group (44.0%) than that in the unmarried group (70.4%) (P < 0.001), (OR = 0.331, 95%CI: 0.205 - 0.535). In the sex trade, most of the married MSM would "buy" sex (66.7%), while unmarried MSM would "sell" sex (63.2%) (P < 0.05), (OR = 3.429, 95%CI: 1.255 - 9.366). The percentage of having drugs in the previous year was higher in married group (3.3%) than that in the unmarried group (0.8%) (P < 0.05). In married and unmarried groups, the infection rates of HIV, syphilis, gonorrhea and Chlamydia trachomatis appeared to be (8.6%, 8.6%), (17.1%, 12.3%), (1.6%, 2.4%), and (3.3%, 9.0%), respectively (P > 0.05).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Marriage seemed to have had limited effects on reducing the high risk behaviors of MSM. Different and multiform interventions should be developed according to the different characteristics of married or unmarried MSM population.</p>

Analysis on sexually transmitted diseases and the related risk factors among men who have sex with men in Jiangsu province / 中华预防医学杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate infections of syphilis, neisseria gonorrhoeae, chlamydia trachomatis and the related risk factors in men who have sex with men (MSM) in Jiangsu province.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>A total of 400 MSM were enrolled by Snowball Sampling Method from August to October in 2010 and then 328 cases were surveyed by a questionnaire and collected serum sample 5 ml per person as well as rectal swab on the spot; all of the serum samples were tested for syphilis by ELISA and TRUST, and all of the rectal swabs were tested for neisseria gonorrhoeae or chlamydia trachomatis. The influencing factors of syphilis, neisseria gonorrhoeae, chlamydia trachomatis were analyzed by logistic regression analysis.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The 328 MSM were (32.46 ± 9.72) years old, 59.15% (194/328) were unmarried.75.00% (246/328) MSM had rectal sex with men in the past 3 months, and condom use rate for recent sex was 56.71% (186/328), while 53.05% (174/328) MSM didn't have sex with women in the last 3 months. The syphilis infection rate among MSM was 13.41% (44/328), the neisseria gonorrhoeae infection rate was 3.66% (12/328), and the chlamydia trachomatis rate was 11.59% (38/328). The number of sex partners was the key factor that influenced syphilis infections (OR = 4.213, 95%CI: 1.133 - 15.656).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>The prevalence of syphilis and chlamydia trachomatis was high in MSM in Jiangsu, while risk behavior rate were high in the MSM and then should be intervened.</p>

Detection of pathogens causing genital ulcer disease by multiplex polymerase chain reaction / 中国医学科学杂志(英文版)

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To establish a multiplex polymerase chain reaction (M-PCR) assay for simultaneous detection of pathogens causing genital ulcer disease (GUD).</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Based on the gene-specific region of the following pathogens: Chlamydia trachomatis omp1/ompb, herpes simplex virus (HSV) DNA polymerase, Treponema pallidum tpp47, Haemophilus ducreyi 16s rRNA, four sets of primers were designed and an M-PCR assay was developed to detect four pathogens in one test. The assay was evaluated with diagnostic result of golden standard for each pathogen.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Of the 51 clinical samples, M-PCR showed slightly higher positive rate (47.1%) of HSV than cell culture (23.6%). Meanwhile, the positive rate of T. pallidum detected by M-PCR and dark-field microscopy was 19.6% (10/51) and 15.7% (8/51), respectively. Only one sample was positive for H. ducreyi and no sample was positive for C. trachomatis detected by both M-PCR assay and culture.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>This primary study indicated that M-PCR assay can simultaneously and rapidly detect the four etiologic pathogens causing GUD.</p>

Epidemiological and bacteriological characteristics of Neisseria gonorrhoeae isolates in China / 中华流行病学杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the antimicrobial susceptibility,auxotype, and plasmid profile of Neisseria gonorrhoeae isolates in China and to provide evidence for the development of treatment guideline and policy for control.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Agar dilution was used to detect antimicrobial susceptibility. The auxotype was determined by GC genetic medium. The plasmid was extracted by alkaline cleavage and electrophoresed.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>A total of 4,976 gonococcal isolates were tested in the last 8 years. The resistant rate for penicillin was 71.60% with PPNG being 15.54%. Tetracycline-resistant (TRNG) isolates accounted for 93.02% with 10.48% high level tetracycline-resistant. The resistant rate for ciprofloxacin was also relatively high (31.78%). The resistant rates for spectinomycin and ceftriaxone were 0.36% and 0.46%. The predominant auxotypes of gonococcal isolates were proto and pro(-) during 1995 - 1996 in Nanjing, accounted for 46.4% and 47.53%, 48.4% and 50.22%, respectively. There were 8 strains harboring 4.2, 5.4, 39.5 kb plasmids and 2 harboring 4.2, 4.9, 5.4, 39.5 kb plasmids in 10 PPNG strains; 2 harboring no plasmid, 28 harboring 4.2, 4.9, 5.4, 39.5 kb plasmids in 30 non-PPNG strains. The 5.4 kb plasmid of PPNG could be digested with restriction endonuclease BamHI while the 5.4 kb plasmid of non-PPNG could not.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>The gonococcal isolates were highly resistant to penicillin, tetracycline, and ciprofloxacin, while were still sensitive to spectinomycin and ceftriaxone. No significant auxotyping change was found in terms of predominant gonococcal strains in the last two years in Nanjing while 5.4 kb plasmid might be the most prevalent resistant plasmid in Nanjing.</p>