Aetiology of genital ulcer disease and associated factors among Mthatha public clinic attendees
Background: Genital ulcer disease (GUD) is a sexually transmitted disease characterised by ulcerating lesions. Despite the introduction of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) syndromic management approach into primary healthcare in South Africa (SA) in 1995, the prevalence of STIs in South Africa...
| Main Authors: | , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
AOSIS
2022-12-01
|
| Series: | Southern African Journal of Infectious Diseases |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://sajid.co.za/index.php/sajid/article/view/444 |
| _version_ | 1828089310531813376 |
|---|---|
| author | Thembisa R. Tshaka Ravesh Singh Teke R. Apalata Zizipho Z.A. Mbulawa |
| author_facet | Thembisa R. Tshaka Ravesh Singh Teke R. Apalata Zizipho Z.A. Mbulawa |
| author_sort | Thembisa R. Tshaka |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Background: Genital ulcer disease (GUD) is a sexually transmitted disease characterised by ulcerating lesions. Despite the introduction of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) syndromic management approach into primary healthcare in South Africa (SA) in 1995, the prevalence of STIs in South Africa remains high.
Objectives: The study investigated the aetiology of GUD and factors influencing it among public community health centre (CHC) attendees in the Eastern Cape, South Africa.
Method: A total of 105 participants were recruited among individuals presenting with GUD from three CHCs located in the Eastern Cape Province, South Africa. Blood and genital ulcer samples were collected from consented participants. Blood samples with suitable sera were tested for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and syphilis. Herpes simplex virus types 1/2 (HSV–1/2), Chlamydia trachomatis, Treponema pallidum, Haemophilus ducreyi and Klebsiella granulomatis were detected in nucleic acid extracted from genital ulcer specimens.
Results: Out of the 98 samples with suitable sera, 55.1% and 8.2% were HIV and syphilis seropositive, respectively. Ulcerating STI pathogens were detected in 31.4% of the study participants. Herpes simplex virus type 2 was the most detected pathogen (16.2%) followed by Chlamydia trachomatis (10.5%), HSV-1 (8.6%), Haemophilus ducreyi (8.6%) and Treponema pallidum (6.7%). Multiple pathogens were detected in 13.3% of participants. Detected multiple ulcerating pathogens were common among HIV-positives (p = 0.016).
Conclusion: Molecular methods for diagnosing pathogens have the potential to improve the management of GUD. Data generated from this study would contribute to the limited data on GUD in the Eastern Cape Province. Further research with a larger sample size is recommended.
Contribution: Data generated would contribute to the limited data on GUD in the Eastern Cape province, South Africa. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-11T05:37:49Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-2eece0838c8a479a93bee4995a32f71d |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2312-0053 2313-1810 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-11T05:37:49Z |
| publishDate | 2022-12-01 |
| publisher | AOSIS |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Southern African Journal of Infectious Diseases |
| spelling | doaj.art-2eece0838c8a479a93bee4995a32f71d2022-12-22T10:24:30ZengAOSISSouthern African Journal of Infectious Diseases2312-00532313-18102022-12-01371e1e910.4102/sajid.v37i1.444256Aetiology of genital ulcer disease and associated factors among Mthatha public clinic attendeesThembisa R. Tshaka0Ravesh Singh1Teke R. Apalata2Zizipho Z.A. Mbulawa3Department of Human Biology, Faculty of Health Sciences, Walter Sisulu University, MthathaDepartment of Microbiology, National Health Laboratory Services, KwaZulu-Natal Academic Complex, Inkosi Albert Luthuli Central Hospital, Durban, South Africa; and, School of Laboratory Medicine and Medical Sciences, College of Health Sciences, University of KwaZulu-Natal, DurbanNational Health Laboratory Service, Nelson Mandela Academic Hospital, Mthatha, South Africa; and, Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, Faculty of Health Sciences, Walter Sisulu University, MthathaNational Health Laboratory Service, Nelson Mandela Academic Hospital, Mthatha, South Africa; and, Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, Faculty of Health Sciences, Walter Sisulu University, Mthatha, South Africa; and, UCT-MRC Gynaecological Cancer Research Centre, Faculty of Health Science, University of Cape Town, Cape TownBackground: Genital ulcer disease (GUD) is a sexually transmitted disease characterised by ulcerating lesions. Despite the introduction of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) syndromic management approach into primary healthcare in South Africa (SA) in 1995, the prevalence of STIs in South Africa remains high. Objectives: The study investigated the aetiology of GUD and factors influencing it among public community health centre (CHC) attendees in the Eastern Cape, South Africa. Method: A total of 105 participants were recruited among individuals presenting with GUD from three CHCs located in the Eastern Cape Province, South Africa. Blood and genital ulcer samples were collected from consented participants. Blood samples with suitable sera were tested for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and syphilis. Herpes simplex virus types 1/2 (HSV–1/2), Chlamydia trachomatis, Treponema pallidum, Haemophilus ducreyi and Klebsiella granulomatis were detected in nucleic acid extracted from genital ulcer specimens. Results: Out of the 98 samples with suitable sera, 55.1% and 8.2% were HIV and syphilis seropositive, respectively. Ulcerating STI pathogens were detected in 31.4% of the study participants. Herpes simplex virus type 2 was the most detected pathogen (16.2%) followed by Chlamydia trachomatis (10.5%), HSV-1 (8.6%), Haemophilus ducreyi (8.6%) and Treponema pallidum (6.7%). Multiple pathogens were detected in 13.3% of participants. Detected multiple ulcerating pathogens were common among HIV-positives (p = 0.016). Conclusion: Molecular methods for diagnosing pathogens have the potential to improve the management of GUD. Data generated from this study would contribute to the limited data on GUD in the Eastern Cape Province. Further research with a larger sample size is recommended. Contribution: Data generated would contribute to the limited data on GUD in the Eastern Cape province, South Africa.https://sajid.co.za/index.php/sajid/article/view/444genital ulcer diseasesexually transmitted infectionsulcerating pathogenshuman immunodeficiency virusherpes simplex virus |
| spellingShingle | Thembisa R. Tshaka Ravesh Singh Teke R. Apalata Zizipho Z.A. Mbulawa Aetiology of genital ulcer disease and associated factors among Mthatha public clinic attendees Southern African Journal of Infectious Diseases genital ulcer disease sexually transmitted infections ulcerating pathogens human immunodeficiency virus herpes simplex virus |
| title | Aetiology of genital ulcer disease and associated factors among Mthatha public clinic attendees |
| title_full | Aetiology of genital ulcer disease and associated factors among Mthatha public clinic attendees |
| title_fullStr | Aetiology of genital ulcer disease and associated factors among Mthatha public clinic attendees |
| title_full_unstemmed | Aetiology of genital ulcer disease and associated factors among Mthatha public clinic attendees |
| title_short | Aetiology of genital ulcer disease and associated factors among Mthatha public clinic attendees |
| title_sort | aetiology of genital ulcer disease and associated factors among mthatha public clinic attendees |
| topic | genital ulcer disease sexually transmitted infections ulcerating pathogens human immunodeficiency virus herpes simplex virus |
| url | https://sajid.co.za/index.php/sajid/article/view/444 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT thembisartshaka aetiologyofgenitalulcerdiseaseandassociatedfactorsamongmthathapublicclinicattendees AT raveshsingh aetiologyofgenitalulcerdiseaseandassociatedfactorsamongmthathapublicclinicattendees AT tekerapalata aetiologyofgenitalulcerdiseaseandassociatedfactorsamongmthathapublicclinicattendees AT ziziphozambulawa aetiologyofgenitalulcerdiseaseandassociatedfactorsamongmthathapublicclinicattendees |