Prevalence of Sexually Transmitted Infections in Patients Attending Sexually Transmitted Disease (STD) Clinics in Benin City, Nigeria

Abstract

Two hundred and forty-two high vaginal and 68 male urethral swab samples from symptomatic patients were screened by light microscopic and microbiological culture techniques for the detection of aetiologic agents. Blood samples from all 310 patients were also screened by serological test for syphilis, while serum from 10 subjects were also screened for antibodies to Chlamydia trachomatis. Candida infection was the most prevalent, and occurred in 112(47.9%) of infected females but absent in all male subjects. Screening test for syphilis was positive in 106(34.2%) subjects, while
5(50.0%) of the 10 serum samples screened for Chlamydia trachomatis antibodies were reactive. Neisseria gonorrhoeae was isolated in 2(4.1%) of males and 7(3.0%) of infected females. Trichomonas vaginalis was observed only in 33(14.1%) females. Patients in the age group 21-30 years were the most commonly infected. Sexually-transmitted diseases remain
endemic in the community.