Syphilis is a sexually transmitted disease caused by Treponema pallidum. The prevalence of this disease has recently increased worldwide. However, pulmonary involvement in secondary syphilis is extremely rare. A 51-year-old heterosexual male patient presented with multiple pulmonary nodules with reactive serology from the Venereal Disease Research Laboratory test and positive fluorescent treponemal antibody absorption testing. A hematogenous metastatic malignancy was suspected and an excisional lung biopsy was performed. Histopathological examination showed only central necrosis with abscess and plasma cell infiltration, but no malignant cells. The patient reported sexual contact with a prostitute 8 weeks previously and a penile lesion 6 weeks earlier. Physical examination revealed an erythematous papular rash on the trunk. Secondary syphilis with pulmonary nodules was suspected, and benzathine penicillin G, 2.4 million units, was administered. Subsequently, the clinical signs of syphilis improved and the pulmonary nodules resolved. The final diagnosis was secondary syphilis with pulmonary nodular involvement.
Anti-Bacterial Agents/therapeutic use ; Biopsy ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Humans ; Lung Neoplasms/diagnosis ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Multimodal Imaging ; Multiple Pulmonary Nodules/diagnosis/drug therapy/*microbiology ; Penicillin G Benzathine/therapeutic use ; Predictive Value of Tests ; Prostitution ; Respiratory Tract Infections/diagnosis/drug therapy/*microbiology/transmission ; Sex Workers ; Syphilis/*diagnosis/drug therapy/*microbiology/transmission ; Syphilis Serodiagnosis ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed ; Treatment Outcome ; Unsafe Sex

OBJECTIVES: It is necessary to examine groups carrying out sexually risky behavior because the prevalence of sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) is high among them. In this study, the prevalence of STDs among homosexuals and sex-buying men in South Korea was investigated, along with their sexual risk factors. METHODS: Men who have sex with men (MSMs, n=108) were recruited in Seoul and Busan by applying the time location sampling method, while sex-buying men (n=118) were recruited from a john school in Gyeonggi province, the suburbs of Seoul. Dependent variables included past or present infection with syphilis, Chlamydia, gonorrhea, and human immunodeficiency virus. Independent variables included health behavior, social support, sexual behavior, and safe sex. RESULTS: It was found that when the MSMs were non-drunk while having sexual intercourse (odds ratio [OR], 0.132), they showed a higher STD infection rate when they had a higher number of anal sex partners (OR, 5.872), rarely used condoms (OR, 1.980), had lower self-efficacy (OR, 0.229), and were more anxious about becoming infected with an STD (OR, 3.723). However, the men who paid for sex showed high STD infections when they had more sex partners (OR, 2.286) and lower education levels (OR, 3.028). CONCLUSIONS: STD infections among the two groups were high when they were engaged with many sex partners and not having protected sex. In other words, there was a gap in risky sex behavior within such groups, which was significantly related to the possibility of developing an STD. Therefore, the preventive intervention against STDs for these groups needs to be expanded to include management of sex behaviors.
Adult ; Female ; *Homosexuality, Male ; Humans ; Male ; *Prostitution ; Qualitative Research ; Republic of Korea/epidemiology ; Risk Factors ; Sexually Transmitted Diseases/diagnosis/*epidemiology/*etiology ; *Unsafe Sex ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVES: Since 2004, availability of resources for preventing sexually transmitted diseases in Korean female sex workers (FSWs) has decreased because of strict application of a law against prostitution. This study is to evaluate the condom use and prevalence of Chlamydia trachomatis among FSWs in Korea. METHODS: We performed a cross-sectional study of FSWs from 15 major sex work sites in Korea from June to November 2008, using convenience sampling. Self-administered questionnaires and urine samples were collected after all participants' written informed consent. Urine samples were analyzed with PCR at a single central laboratory. RESULTS: Among 1,086 FSWs who consented to study participation, data from 999 FSWs were appropriate for analysis. C. trachomatis prevalence was 12.8% (95% CI: 10.7-14.9%). Younger age increased risk for C. trachomatis. Whereas majority of FSWs (71.0%) answered high self confidence in condom negotiation, the proportion of FSWs who always used condoms last month was only 23.7%. However, practicing regular condom use showed significant protection against chlamydia infection, not self confidence in condom negotiation. CONCLUSION: In Korea, FSWs were not practicing enough self-protection at work with a high prevalence of C. trachomatis. Education for constant practice of protection against sexually transmitted diseases is needed, especially for younger FSWs.
Chlamydia ; Chlamydia Infections ; Chlamydia trachomatis ; Condoms ; Cross-Sectional Studies ; Female ; Humans ; Informed Consent ; Jurisprudence ; Korea ; Negotiating ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Prevalence ; Prostitution ; Sex Workers ; Sexually Transmitted Diseases ; Surveys and Questionnaires

PURPOSE: This study compared the mental symptoms, especially symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), of women who escaped prostitution, helping activists at shelters, and matched control subjects. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We assessed 113 female ex-prostitutes who had been living at a shelter, 81 helping activists, and 65 control subjects using self-reporting questionnaires on demographic data, symptoms related to trauma and PTSD, stress-related reactions, and other mental health factors. RESULTS: Female ex-prostitutes had significantly higher stress response, somatization, depression, fatigue, frustration, sleep, smoking and alcohol problems, and more frequent and serious PTSD symptoms than the other 2 groups. Helping activists also had significantly higher tension, sleep and smoking problems, and more frequent and serious PTSD symptoms than control subjects. CONCLUSION: These findings show that engagement in prostitution may increase the risks of exposure to violence, which may psychologically traumatize not only the prostitutes themselves but also the people who help them, and that the effects of the trauma last for a long time. Future research is needed to develop a method to assess specific factors that may contribute to vicarious trauma of prostitution, and protect field workers of prostitute victims from vicarious trauma.
Adult ; Alcoholism/etiology/psychology ; Depression/etiology/psychology ; Fatigue/etiology/psychology ; Female ; Humans ; Mental Disorders/etiology/psychology ; *Mental Health ; Prostitution/*psychology ; Questionnaires ; Risk Factors ; Smoking/psychology ; *Social Work ; Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic/complications/*psychology ; Stress, Psychological/complications

This paper examines the spread of venereal disease from the Opening of Korea to the early Japanese colonial period. It focuses on the formation and expansion of Japanese settlement in Korea, the influence of wars, and the state control of VD. The Opening of Korea made the foreign settlement, and Japanese licensed prostitution flourished in Japanese settlement. According to the First Annual Report of the Korean Government Hospital(1886) and Gyelimuisa(1887), VD patients occupied 18.3% of outpatients in Jejungwon hospital of Seoul and 8.9% of outpatients in Busan hospital. Directly after the Opening of Korea, Korean people's VD became lesser critical than Japanese people's VD. But the expansion of Japanese settlement and outbreak of two wars such as Sino-Japanese War and Russo-Japanese War made worse Korean people's VD. According to the Residency-General resources(1904-1909), syphilis patients was registered in 0.8~6.6%(average 3.6%). If it add to gonorrhea and chancroid patients which often could not be found out by the naked eyes, the number of VD patients will be increase. Ji Seok-yeong(1855-1935), the earliest smallpox vaccinarian in Korea, asserted the need of VD control. Though he warned men bought sex as well as prostitutes became the main culprit of VD diffusion, he supported licensed prostitution because of realistic possibility. The Great Han Empire(1897-1910) tried to control the lower grade whore, and gathered prostitutes in some area by police power. After Japanese annexation of Korea, while Japanese has gradually decreased in VD patients, Korean has gradually increased in VD patients.
Colonialism/history ; Disease Outbreaks/*history/prevention & control ; Female ; History, 19th Century ; History, 20th Century ; Humans ; Japan ; Korea/epidemiology ; Male ; Prostitution/history ; Sexually Transmitted Diseases/*history/prevention & control

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to identify factors to predict of condom use for the prevention of sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) among sex workers in a Korean community. The theoretical ground of this study was the Interaction Model of Client Health Behavior. METHOD: A descriptive, cross sectional and retrospective research design was employed in this study. A total of 100 sex workers who take a clinical check-up on STDs regularly at W Public Health Center were recruited by convenient sampling, and with consent to participate in this study. All of the measures were piloted, and the reliability of each scale ranged from 0.7 to 0.9. Data were analyzed using discriminating function analysis with SPSS-PC. RESULTS: Five independent measures (partner preference for using condoms, subjects desire to prevent STD, age, type of relationship and sexual self-determination) contributed significantly to the best discriminating function. The discriminating function analysis resulted in correct classification of 83.1% of the respondents into their corresponding groups. CONCLUSION: Condoms are a main means of STDs prevention. Risk-reduction interventions that enhance communication skills and intrinsic motivation will be effective in increasing condom use to prevent STDs among sex workers.
Classification ; Condoms* ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Health Behavior ; Humans ; Motivation ; Prostitution ; Public Health ; Research Design ; Retrospective Studies ; Sex Workers* ; Sexually Transmitted Diseases*

PURPOSE: The purpose of the study was to test the effectiveness of an 8 session intervention program to prevent sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) among at-risk prostitutes. METHOD: An experimental research design was employed. Subjects were 59 prostitutes (29 in the control group and 30 in the experimental group) who agreed to participate in this study. An STD Prevention Framework derived from Cox's Interaction Model of Client Health Behavior guided the overall intervention and the components. The intervention had 8 sessions with STD-prevention strategies and was led by Public Health Nurses. Analysis included change scores, chi2-test, and t-test. RESULT: The results revealed significant increase in feelings and skills of condom use, peer belief on condom use, condom use practice, and satisfaction with service at public health centers (PHC) on STDs knowledge and skills in the experimental group. However, newly contracted STDs were not significant statistically between groups. CONCLUSION: The 8 session STDs prevention program showed a effect on emotions, skills and behaviors of condom use even withthe limitation of methodological rigors because of subject-specific conditions. In the future, a capacity-building model based on collaborating networks among community-based organizations will be needed to develop in effective STDs prevention.
Sexually Transmitted Diseases/*nursing/prevention & control ; Risk Factors ; *Prostitution ; Humans ; Female ; *Counseling ; Condoms/*utilization ; Adult

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to identify the attitudes and behavior toward prostitution and gender equality in male university students. METHOD: The subjects were 339 male university students in G province. The data were gathered from August 29 to September 23, 2005. Data were analyzed by descriptive statistics, t-test, and Pearson's product-moment correlation coefficient using SPSS/Win 10.0 program. RESULTS: About twenty-eight percent of the subjects had experiences with prostitutes. The mean score of the attitude toward prostitution was 2.88+/-.39. The mean scores of the attitude and behavior toward gender equality were 1.90+/-.44, 2.73+/-.31, respectively. There was a significant difference in the attitude toward prostitution between subjects with experiences and without experiences with a prostitute. Also, there was a significant difference in the attitude and behavior toward gender equality between subjects with experiences and without experiences in prostitution. CONCLUSIONS: This study showed that the attitude toward prostitution was strongly related to the attitude and behavior toward gender equality. Realistic and future-directed gender equality programs should be developed for the target population.
Health Services Needs and Demand ; Humans ; Male* ; Prostitution* ; Sex Workers

PURPOSE: With the continuous spread of the AIDS virus and other sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) throughout Asia, it has become imperative for HIV/AIDS prevention outreach programs to stress the need for using prophylactics as one form of protection. This is particularly true for commercial sex workers. This pilot study was conducted to investigate the rate of condom use among the commercial sex workers in Korea and reasons why they frequently do not wear condoms during sexual intercourse. METHODS: Fifty female commercial sex workers who worked in the Yong San area were recruited while outreach was performed and forty eight responses were analyzed due to two incomplete questionnaires. The data were collected on June 28, 2004 as part of an outreach program for condom use promotion. RESULTS: The subjects ranged in age from 21 to 45 years. Nearly half of the subjects (47.9%) did not consistently use condoms. The major reason for not using protection was clients'reluctances for using condoms. When condoms were used, the subjects preferred lubricant-rich and less painful condom during intercourse. CONCLUSION: Due to the inconsistent use of condoms, it is clear that many commercial sex workers and clients are susceptible to sexually transmitted diseases. Therefore, it is important to not only educate commercial sex workers, but also to educate their pimps and clientele about the importance of condom use. In general, it is recommended that practical strategies and a policy for condom use promotion be developed.
Adult ; Community-Institutional Relations ; Condoms/*utilization ; Cross-Sectional Studies ; Decision Making ; Female ; HIV Infections/epidemiology/prevention & control ; *Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice ; Health Policy ; Health Promotion ; Health Services Needs and Demand ; Humans ; Korea/epidemiology ; Middle Aged ; Pilot Projects ; Prostitution/*psychology/statistics & numerical data ; Questionnaires ; Risk-Taking ; Safe Sex/ethnology/*psychology/statistics & numerical data ; Sex Education ; Sexual Partners/psychology ; Sexually Transmitted Diseases/epidemiology/prevention & control ; Time Factors

Papua New Guinea is in the early stages of an HIV/AIDS epidemic. It is important to understand how the sexual behaviour of Huli men and women will influence the form of the epidemic in the Tari area. High numbers of single and married men migrating out of the Tari area in search of employment, returning with sexually transmitted infections, are one cause for concern. Another is the emergence of a form of prostitution in the Tari area. This paper describes an unusual aspect of female sexual behaviour at Tari in which some women become sexually promiscuous, behaving in a manner that could be labelled prostitution. This behaviour scandalizes their families and results in a debasing of their value as brides. However, the women involved do not see their actions as being part of any form of sex work. Rather, they participate in this behaviour because they are frustrated and angry. The women feel their male kin have not fulfilled customary obligations to them as women; often the women have been raped and their assailants neither apprehended nor punished. As a result the women have come to believe that the meaning and function of bridewealth marriage has changed such that women are like commodities to be bought and sold. They see their behaviour as a form of revenge on their families and on a culture that seemingly no longer values them as persons.
Human Females ; Passenger ; Gender Relations ; Basin ; Prostitution