Study of genital lesions

Area of Science:

• Dermatology
• Infectious Diseases
• Public Health

Background:

• Genital lesions are a common presentation in sexually transmitted infection (STI) clinics.
• Accurate diagnosis is crucial for effective treatment and public health management.
• Co-infections with HIV and Hepatitis B are significant concerns in STI populations.

Purpose of the Study:

• To classify and analyze the prevalence of various causes of genital lesions in patients attending an STI clinic.
• To evaluate the concordance between clinical diagnosis and microbiological findings.
• To determine the co-infection rates of Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) and Hepatitis B surface antigen (HbsAg).

Main Methods:

• A study group of 100 patients (75 males, 25 females) aged 17-65 with genital lesions was recruited.
• Patients were clinically classified into various conditions including syphilis, chancroid, and herpes genitalis.
• Microbiological investigations were performed to confirm clinical diagnoses, and serological tests for HIV and HbsAg were conducted.

Main Results:

• The most common diagnoses based on clinical features were syphilis (39%), chancroid (30%), and herpes genitalis (13%).
• Microbiological findings confirmed the clinical diagnosis in 68% of cases.
• 13% of patients tested positive for HIV antibodies, and 2% tested positive for HbsAg.

Conclusions:

• Clinical diagnosis of genital lesions has moderate confirmation rates with microbiological testing.
• Syphilis and chancroid are the predominant STIs presenting as genital lesions in this study population.
• A significant proportion of patients with genital lesions are co-infected with HIV, underscoring the need for integrated screening and management.