It is recognized not only by the health experts but also by the public that venereal diseases are remarkably increasing in these days. Therefore, every available measure for declining of the diseases are planned and implemented through case-finding, diagnosis, treatment, education and research. The author intended to compare and analyse infection rates of venereal diseases between reporting from the Ministry of Health and author's private V.D. clinic during 1961-1971. The following results are obtained through the study: 1. According to the report of the Ministry of Health, 45.0% of total examinees were sick with gonorrhea and 6.5% with syphilis, in one hand, on the other hand 78.7% with gonorrhea and 16.3% with syphilis at the author's clinic. 2. By both the report of the ministry and author, highest infection rates were found in 196601968, and this fact was considered by the higher infection rate of G.I. in same years. 3. Contrarily, the lowest infection rates were found out in 1970-1971 through both reports.
Diagnosis ; Education ; Gonorrhea ; Hand ; Korea* ; Sexually Transmitted Diseases* ; Syphilis

Fitz-Hugh-Curtis syndrome has been defined as perihepatitis accompanying pelvic inflammatory disease caused by Neisseria gonorrhoeae and Chlamydia trachomatis. In the acute phase, patients usually complain of severe right upper quadrant pain of sudden onset. The pain is sharp, pleuritic and most intense at the level of the right lower rib margin and thus it is frequently confused with acute cholecystitis or pleurisy. Definitive diagnosis of Fitz-Hugh-Curtis syndrome needs invasive procedures such as laparoscopy or laparotomy, but considering that Fitz-Hugh-Curtis syndrome is a benign condition that can be cured by oral administration of appropriate antibiotics, noninvasive diagnosis is desirable. Recently, we have experienced two cases of Fitz-Hugh-Curtis syndrome in acute phase accompanied with sharp and pleuritic right upper quadrant pain. In one case, pelvic inflammatory disease was not definite, so at first we mistook it for acute cholecystitis and reactivation of chronic hepatitis B. In the other case, Fitz-Hugh-Curtis syndrome followed the preceding, typical pelvic inflammatory disease. Both cases were diagnosed noninvasively and treated successfully by oral administration of antibiotics.
Adult ; Chlamydia Infections/*diagnosis ; *Chlamydia trachomatis ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Female ; Gonorrhea/*diagnosis ; Hepatitis/*diagnosis ; Humans ; Pelvic Inflammatory Disease/*diagnosis ; Syndrome

BACKGROUNDS: Sexually transmitted disease is class 3 major communicable disease group in Korea, and nationwide surveillance is required to control it. It is necessary to investigate the trends and current characteristics of STDs for effective control. METHODS: We analysed the laboratory data of those who visited a health center in Seoul for venereal disease examination and had abnormal results from Jan 1, 1991 to Dec 31, 1994. Venereal disease examination was composed of serum VDRL(quantitative), Gram staining and culture of urine or urethral discharge. RESULTS: There were 1196 male cases(97.6%) among the total 1226 cases. Mean age was 31.1+/-8.4, and the most common age group was 25-34 yr-old(60.8%). Diagnosis was as follows : syphilis 48 cases(3.9%), gonorrhea 388 cases(31.6%), Nongonoccocal urethritis 773 cases(63.1%), others 10 cases(0.8%), mixed infection of syphilis and gonorrhea 2 cases(0.2 %), mixed infection of syphilis and NGU 5 cases(0.4%). The proportion of PPNG among gonorrhea was as follows : 1991 48.1%, 1992 38.0%, 1993 32.9%, 1994 58.8%. The fraction of NGU among whole urethritis patients increased year by year, 1991 68.0%, 1992 69.4%, 1993 73.3%, 1994 55.3%. There were more WBCs on Gram staining of gonorrhea cases than NGU cases(p<0.01). CONCLUSIONS: The STD patients among beneficiaries of a health center were mainly young male. Common diagnosis was as follows, NGU, gonorrhea, syphilis. The proportion of PPNG among gonorrhea decreased initially, then increased in 1994, and the fraction of NGU among whole urethritis cases increased initially, then increased in 1994.
Coinfection ; Communicable Diseases ; Diagnosis ; Gonorrhea ; Humans ; Korea ; Male ; Seoul* ; Sexually Transmitted Diseases* ; Syphilis ; Urethritis

BACKGROUNDS: Sexually transmitted disease is class 3 major communicable disease group in Korea, and nationwide surveillance is required to control it. It is necessary to investigate the trends and current characteristics of STDs for effective control. METHODS: We analysed the laboratory data of those who visited a health center in Seoul for venereal disease examination and had abnormal results from Jan 1, 1991 to Dec 31, 1994. Venereal disease examination was composed of serum VDRL(quantitative), Gram staining and culture of urine or urethral discharge. RESULTS: There were 1196 male cases(97.6%) among the total 1226 cases. Mean age was 31.1+/-8.4, and the most common age group was 25-34 yr-old(60.8%). Diagnosis was as follows : syphilis 48 cases(3.9%), gonorrhea 388 cases(31.6%), Nongonoccocal urethritis 773 cases(63.1%), others 10 cases(0.8%), mixed infection of syphilis and gonorrhea 2 cases(0.2 %), mixed infection of syphilis and NGU 5 cases(0.4%). The proportion of PPNG among gonorrhea was as follows : 1991 48.1%, 1992 38.0%, 1993 32.9%, 1994 58.8%. The fraction of NGU among whole urethritis patients increased year by year, 1991 68.0%, 1992 69.4%, 1993 73.3%, 1994 55.3%. There were more WBCs on Gram staining of gonorrhea cases than NGU cases(p<0.01). CONCLUSIONS: The STD patients among beneficiaries of a health center were mainly young male. Common diagnosis was as follows, NGU, gonorrhea, syphilis. The proportion of PPNG among gonorrhea decreased initially, then increased in 1994, and the fraction of NGU among whole urethritis cases increased initially, then increased in 1994.
Coinfection ; Communicable Diseases ; Diagnosis ; Gonorrhea ; Humans ; Korea ; Male ; Seoul* ; Sexually Transmitted Diseases* ; Syphilis ; Urethritis

BACKGROUND: STDs are major communicable disease group in Korea. This study was carried out to evaluate the current status of sexually transmitted diseases in Seoul. METHODS: We collected the laboratory data of those who visited 11 Public Health Centers in Seoul for venereal disease examination and analyzed abnormal results from Jan 1, 1993 to Dec 31, 1995. The diagnoses of STDs were made by VDRL quantification, TPHA test, Gram's stain, and culture of urine or urethral discharge. RESULTS: There were total of 10,302 patients. There were 7,836 male cases(76.1%) and 2,466 female cases (23.9%). Mean age was 30.6+/-9.7, and the most common age group was 25-34 yearn of age(42.1%). Diagnoses were as follows ; syphilis 2,036 cases(19.8%), gonorrhea 2,249 cases(21.8%), nongonococcal urethritis 4,973 cases(48.3%), vaginitis 954 cases(9.3%), mixed infection of syphilis and gonorrhea 13 cases(0.1% ), mixed infection of syphilis and NGU 50 cases(0.5%), mixed infection of syphilis and vaginitis 27 cases(0.3%). The proportion of PPNG among gonorrhea was as follows ; 43.4% in 1993, 55.1% in 1994, 43.8% in 1995. There were more WBCs on Gram's staining in gonorrhea cases than in NGU cases. CONCLUSIONS: The STD patients seen in 11 Public Health Centers in Seoul were mainly young men. Common diagnoses were as follows ; NGU, gonorrhea, syphilis, vaginitis. The proportion of PPNG increased at first and then decreased.
Coinfection ; Communicable Diseases ; Diagnosis ; Female ; Gonorrhea ; Humans ; Korea ; Male ; Public Health* ; Seoul* ; Sexually Transmitted Diseases* ; Syphilis ; Urethritis ; Vaginitis

Fitz-Hugh-Curtis syndrome is an extrapelvic manifestation of PID. It is associated with right upper quadrant pain that likely results from the inflammation of liver capsule and diaphragm. The liver capsule becomes involved with inflammatory exudates that later forms violin string adhesion between two liver capsule and adjacent diaphragm or peritoneum. Previously, Neisseria gonorrhea was thought to be the only etiological agent, but recent studies have reported cases of Fitz-Hugh-Curtis syndrome due to Chlamydia trachomatis infection. 15 to 30 percents of women with PID develop symptom of Fitz-Hugh-Curtis syndrome. It is often mistakenly diagnosed as either pneumonia or acute cholecystitis. Laparoscopy may be the definitive method in diagnosis of Fitz-Hugh-Curtis syndrome. However, we have experienced one cases of Fitz-Hugh-Curtis syndrome, which was diagnosed preoperative by pelvic CT imaging and report with the brief review of the literatures.
Chlamydia trachomatis ; Cholecystitis, Acute ; Diagnosis ; Diaphragm ; Exudates and Transudates ; Female ; Gonorrhea ; Humans ; Inflammation ; Laparoscopy* ; Liver ; Neisseria ; Peritoneum ; Pneumonia

OBJECTIVETo detect the genes of Neisseria spp. isolated from patients with male genitourinary tract infections, and to study the pathogenicity of non-gonococcal strains of Neisseria and the laboratory diagnosis for the infections caused by Neisseria spp.

METHODSUsing polymerase chain reaction and nucleotide sequencing, we amplified and sequenced 4 genes of Neisseria spp. isolated from patients with male genitourinary tract infections, including 16S rRNA, orfl, cppB and nspA.

RESULTSFourteen Neisseria strains were identified through analysis of the 16S rRNA gene, including 3 N. mucosa strains, 3 N. cinerea strains, 2 N. gonorrhoea strains, 2 N. sicca strains, 2 N. subflava strains, 1 N. lactamica strain, and 1 N. polysaccharea strain. Among them, 9 showed positive results in gonococcal fluorescence-labeled multiplex-PCR detection, 1 in cppB gene reaction, 5 in orfl gene reaction, and 3 in nspA gene reaction. The consistency rate was 85.7% between the above results from our gene detection and those from the routine bacteriological methods.

CONCLUSIONThe cppB gene is absent in the non-gonococcal strains of Neisseria spp. that can cause male genitourinary tract infection. Most of the strains not only lack virulence-associated orfl and nspA genes, but also show positive results in gonococcal fluorescence-labeled multiplex-PCR detection, which is one of the important reasons for the misdiagnosis and missed diagnosis of gonorrhea infection. The combination of routine bacteriological methods and gene detection in laboratory examinations may help improve the accuracy rates of Neisseria species identification and clinical diagnosis of the infections caused by Neisseria spp.

Genes, Bacterial ; Gonorrhea ; diagnosis ; microbiology ; Humans ; Male ; Neisseria gonorrhoeae ; classification ; genetics ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Urinary Tract Infections ; microbiology

Trichomoniasis, a common and sometimes distressing condition in women, is caused by infection of the genitourinary tract by the pathogenic protozoan Trichomonris aginalis(T. vaginalis). Men may also be infected, although frequently without any symptoms, and most cases of trichomoniasis are sexually transmitted. The best evidence for an etiologic role for T. vaginalis is in nongonococcal urethritis(NGU). In epidemiologic studies, T,ginalis has been isolated from 1 to 68 percent in men with NGU. The nurnber of NGU is increasing rapidly than gonorrhea in deeloped nations, and in some developing countries, especially in Korea, In view of the difficulties in findng trichomonads by direct microsco by in men, urine culture and serodiagnosis plays an important role in the diagnostic work. Urine culture, indirect fluorescent antibody test(IFAT) and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) were used to elecect T.vaginalis in 221 patients with male NGU. These patients visited the VD Clinic of ChoongKu Public Health Center in Seoul from May to August, 1989 and from March, 1990 to December, 1991. The results obtained were as follows.: 1. T. vaginalis was grown from only one of the 221 samples on TPS-1 meida. 2. In 208 NGU patients, there were 10(4.8%) positive reactions on IgG antibody in IFAT. 3. In 208 NGU patient, there were 14(6.7%) positive reactions to IgG antibody in ELISA. 4. No statistical significant correlation was found between then sults of IFAT and ELISA in individual patients. In conclusion, 1. Male trichomoniasis in patients with NGU was detected at a, significantly low rate. Due to the small number of patients in the test, further epidemiologic stidies of trichomoniasis in male NGU patient are necessary. 2. Serologic studies (IFAT and ELISA) have detected sorre trichomoniasis in male patients with NGU. These tests seem to be helpful in the diagnosis of male t-ichomoniasis.
Developing Countries ; Diagnosis* ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; Epidemiologic Studies ; Female ; Gonorrhea ; Humans ; Immunoglobulin G ; Korea ; Male* ; Public Health ; Seoul ; Serologic Tests* ; Urethritis*

PURPOSE: Neisseria gonorrhea is usually identified in neonatal conjunctivitis, but rare in adult keratoconjunctivitis. We report a rare case of bilateral gonococcal conjunctivitis combined with keratitis. METHODS: A 29-year-old male with a history of sexual contact with a prostitute 17 days ago referred to our hospital with acute keratoconjunctivitis. Ocular discharge was examined by Gram stain, culture, and sensitivity test to antibiotics, resulting in the identification of penicillin-resistant Neisseria gonorrhea. RESULTS: This patient was treated with intramuscular ceftriaxone for 5 days and topical cefmenoxime 0.5% for 2 weeks. Following 24 hours after antibiotics medication, the clinical symptoms were improved, and follow-up culture was negative. No evidence of serious complication was left in the cornea and conjunctiva. CONCLUSIONS: As adult gonococcal keratoconjuctivitis is relatively rare, the clinical diagnosis may be delayed. When one suspects an adult gonococcal keratoconjunctivitis, immediate gram staining and confirmatory culture for isolation of gram-negative intracellular diplococci are mandatory. It should be remembered that intramuscular ceftriaxone and topical cefmenoxime are an effective treatment for this condition.
Adult* ; Anti-Bacterial Agents ; Cefmenoxime ; Ceftriaxone ; Conjunctiva ; Conjunctivitis ; Cornea ; Diagnosis ; Follow-Up Studies ; Gonorrhea ; Humans ; Keratitis ; Keratoconjunctivitis* ; Male ; Neisseria ; Sex Workers

PURPOSE: Neisseria gonorrhea is usually identified in neonatal conjunctivitis, but rare in adult keratoconjunctivitis. We report a rare case of bilateral gonococcal conjunctivitis combined with keratitis. METHODS: A 29-year-old male with a history of sexual contact with a prostitute 17 days ago referred to our hospital with acute keratoconjunctivitis. Ocular discharge was examined by Gram stain, culture, and sensitivity test to antibiotics, resulting in the identification of penicillin-resistant Neisseria gonorrhea. RESULTS: This patient was treated with intramuscular ceftriaxone for 5 days and topical cefmenoxime 0.5% for 2 weeks. Following 24 hours after antibiotics medication, the clinical symptoms were improved, and follow-up culture was negative. No evidence of serious complication was left in the cornea and conjunctiva. CONCLUSIONS: As adult gonococcal keratoconjuctivitis is relatively rare, the clinical diagnosis may be delayed. When one suspects an adult gonococcal keratoconjunctivitis, immediate gram staining and confirmatory culture for isolation of gram-negative intracellular diplococci are mandatory. It should be remembered that intramuscular ceftriaxone and topical cefmenoxime are an effective treatment for this condition.
Adult* ; Anti-Bacterial Agents ; Cefmenoxime ; Ceftriaxone ; Conjunctiva ; Conjunctivitis ; Cornea ; Diagnosis ; Follow-Up Studies ; Gonorrhea ; Humans ; Keratitis ; Keratoconjunctivitis* ; Male ; Neisseria ; Sex Workers