Abstract:
To evaluate the prevalence of five selected sexually transmitted diseases
(STDs), gonorrhoeae, trichomoniasis, syphilis, hepatitis B and HIV infection, in
Adar-Yale area, which is located in the Upper Nile State, blood and urine
samples were collected from two hundred and fifty subjects attended Adar Yale
hospital and Balgook and Aljamam dispensary clinics. The age of the study
population, ranged between 16 and 69 years old. Of this population, 85.6 %
were men and 14.4 % were women. The four population subgroups examined
were classified as company's employees (38.8 %), nomads (26.4 %), army
personnel (18.8 %), and foreigners (16.0 %). Amongst all participants, half of
them (51.2 %) they had sexual contact with prostitutes in last sex months.
Out of 250 subjects, 115 (46.0 %) subjects were infected by one or more
sexually transmitted diseases. Of these, 77 (30.8 %), 30 (12.0 %) and 8 (3.2 %)
were infected with one, two and three pathogens, respectively. The commonest
infected subgroup was company's employee (45.2 %) and low rate of infection
was identified among foreigners (5.2 %), while the infection rates for nomad and
army personnel were 28.7 % and 20.9% respectively
Age group 16 – 24 years old was most (55.8 %) infected age group, followed by
age group more than 45 years old, which had 52.6 % prevalence rate. Age group
24 – 34 years old and 35 – 44 years old prevalence rates were 40.3 % and 46.7
% respectively.
Statistically, no significant difference in the prevalence between males and
females and between married and single, their prevalence rates were 44.4 %,
55.6 %, 48.1% and 45.0 %. Also, there was no significant difference between
uneducated (56.5 %) and high school-graduated (47.8 %) groups in their
prevalence rates, while college-graduated participants were not infected by STD
except one who infected by gonorrhoea.
Clinical symptoms were seen in 77 (30.8 %) participants. These symptoms were
vaginal or urethral discharge (12.8 %), pelvic pain (11.2 %), and genital ulcer
(1.6 %).
Gonorrhoeae showed high prevalence (16.4 %) followed by trichomoniasis
(13.6 %), HIV infection (12.8 %), syphilis (11.6 %) and hepatitis B had low
prevalence (10.0 %). T. vaginalis was significantly more prevalent in army
(21.3 %, P < 0.02) and uneducated (19.3 %, P < 0.003) participants. T. pallidum
significantly more prevalent among eldery more than 45 years old (31.6 %, P <
0.008) and uneducated (16.1 %, P < 0.01) participants. Other STDs,
(N.
gonorrhoea, HBV and HIV) showed no significant correlation with the
population strata and subgroups.
