Richard Rohrsheim

HIV, sexually transmitted infections, and risk behaviours in male commercial sex workers in Sydney.

Objectives: To assess prevalence of HIV and sexually transmitted infections (STIs), risk behaviours, and demographics in male commercial sex workers (CSWs)/prostitutes in Sydney. Methods: Retrospective, cross sectional study with two comparison groups. Demographic, behavioural, and morbidity data were analysed from standardised medical records of patients attending a public STI and HIV service in Sydney between January 1991 and March 1998. Two comparison groups were used: female CSWs and non-CSW working homosexual men who attended over the same time. Results: 94 male CSWs, 1671 female CSWs, and 3541 non-CSW working homosexual men were included. The prevalence of HIV in male CSWs tested (6.5%) was significantly greater than in female CSWs (0.4%, p=0.0001), but less than in non-CSW homosexual men (23.9%, p<0.0001). Genital warts occurred significantly more frequently in male CSWs than in comparison groups. Prevalence of other STIs was similar in all groups. Male CSWs saw significantly fewer clients per week than female CSWs and male and female CSWs used condoms with almost all clients. Male CSWs reported significantly more non-work sexual partners than female CSWs and non-CSW homosexual men and were significantly more likely to have unprotected penetrative sex with their non-work partners than non-CSW homosexual men. Injecting drug use was significantly more frequent in male CSWs than in both comparison groups. Conclusions: Although male CSWs use condoms with clients, they are more likely to practise unsafe sex with non-work partners (especially women) and inject drugs than female CSWs and non-CSW homosexual men. Some men with HIV are working within the commercial sex industry. Targeted health education to encourage safer drug use and safer sex outside work is needed.

Sexual health and use of condoms among local and international sex workers in Sydney.

OBJECTIVES: To compare indicators of sexual health and predictors of condom use for commercial sex among local and international female sex workers first attending an STD clinic. SETTING: A public STD clinic in Sydney, Australia. SUBJECTS: All sex workers first attending between June 1991 and May 1993. METHODS: Cross-sectional analysis of demographic, behavioural and morbidity data from proforma medical records. RESULTS: 91 local sex workers and 123 international sex workers (predominantly from Thailand, Malaysia and China) first presented during the study period. There were significantly higher prevalences of chlamydia (0 v. 15%, p = 0.0002), gonorrhoea (0 v. 14%, p = 0.0006), syphilis (0 v. 10%, p = 0.006) and clinical genital herpes (0 v. 5%, p = 0.04) among international sex workers. The only case of HIV infection was in an international sex worker. Inconsistent condom use for commercial sex was significantly more common among international sex workers (RR = 4.5; 95% CI 3.1-6.5). On multivariate analysis, inconsistent condom use in international sex workers was associated with a recent history of prostitution outside Australia (p = 0.04), while inconsistent condom usage among local sex workers was associated with increasing age (p = 0.003). CONCLUSIONS: These data illustrate the efficacy of condoms and the success of targeted education programmes in local sex workers in Sydney. By contrast, international sex workers continued to be at high risk of STDs. The international sex industry in Sydney requires enhanced culture-specific interventions. Immigration laws as they affect sex workers should also be reviewed.

Clinical audit: adherence to sexually transmitted infection screening guidelines for men who have sex with men.

Australian guidelines recommend regular screening of men who have sex with men (MSM) for sexually transmitted infections (STIs). This audit was performed to determine STI testing rates in Sydney Sexual Health Centre before and after the development of the guidelines, and to describe characteristics of those not tested. The electronic clinic database and a manual file review were used to determine testing rates and reasons for not testing for the years 2000 and 2002. Overall testing rates were high, with 61% of MSM having had all recommended tests within the past year in 2002. There was a significant increase in testing rates for most tests after the development of the guidelines. Asymptomatic men were more likely to be tested than symptomatic men, and HIV-positive men were less likely to be tested for syphilis.

Herpes zoster and the stage and prognosis of HIV-1 infection.

OBJECTIVES: To examine the incidence of herpes zoster in HIV-1 infection. To assess the prognostic significance of the occurrence of herpes zoster and progression to AIDS or death DESIGN AND METHODS: 146 homosexually active men with known times of HIV-1 seroconversion were identified through the Sydney AIDS Prospective Study and the clinic records of a private medical practice with large caseload of HIV infected homosexual men. Medical records were reviewed for a history of herpes zoster, CD4+ lymphocyte counts, and HIV-1 disease status. Coxs proportional hazards model was used to determine whether herpes zoster predicted progression to AIDS or death. RESULTS: After a mean follow up of 54 months, 30 men (20%) had an episode of herpes zoster and three of these men had one recurrence. The overall incidence of herpes zoster was 44.4 episodes per 1000 person years (95% CI 30.0-63.5). Herpes zoster was not found to be a marker of deteriorating immune functions as measured by CD4+ lymphocyte counts. CD4+ counts did not differ significantly between those with and without zoster at 1 year (551 v 572.10(6)/1, p = 0.79), 2 years (451 v 557, p = 0.11), and 3 years (424 v 481, p = 0.50) following HIV-1 seroconversion. There was no statistically significant difference in progression to AIDS (RR = 1.89, 95% CI 0.80-4.46, p = 0.15) or death (RR = 0.90, 95% CI 0.31-2.65, p = 0.85) from HIV-1 sero-conversion in those who did and those who did not develop herpes zoster. CONCLUSION: The incidence of herpes zoster was consistent with the findings of other studies. There was no association between the occurrence of herpes zoster and progression of HIV-1 disease.

Characteristics of homosexually-active men with gonorrhoea during an epidemic in Sydney, Australia

Our objective was to investigate an epidemic of gonorrhoea among homosexually-active men in Sydney. Demographic and behavioural data on all homosexually-active men diagnosed with gonorrhoea (any site) at the Sydney Sexual Health Centre (SSHC) from 1992 through 1998 were reviewed. The men diagnosed with anal gonorrhoea were then compared with all homosexually-active men who tested negative for anal gonorrhoea or who were not tested for anal gonorrhoea at the SSHC between 1996 and 1998. Data on HIV status and country of birth of men diagnosed with anal gonorrhoea during 1998 at the Taylor Square Private Clinic were also reviewed. Over the period 1992 to 1998, homosexually-active men diagnosed with gonorrhoea at SSHC tended to become older at the time of diagnosis (median age 26.5 years in 1992 up to 31.0 years in 1998), indicating a cohort effect in the clinic population due to service reductions. When compared with men who tested negative for anal gonorrhoea at SSHC between 1996 and 1998, those with anal gonorrhoea were more likely to have anogenital symptoms (adjusted odds ratio [OR] 2.3), to have had a past history of gonorrhoea (OR 3.1), to present as a contact of gonorrhoea (OR 8.6), to have used condoms less consistently (OR 2.3), to be HIV positive or of unknown HIV status (OR 3.2), and to have been born in an English-speaking country other than Australia (OR 2.9). The last feature was not observed at the private clinic. In conclusion, the gonorrhoea epidemic was linked to public health service reductions, though it seems unlikely to be the only factor. Homosexually-active men with anal gonorrhoea had well established behavioural risk factors while men with concurrent HIV infection were over-represented. Given the role of gonorrhoea in promoting the spread of HIV infection, a National Sexual Health Strategy – closely linked to the National HIV/AIDS Strategy – is due.

Chlamydia trachomatis infection in Sydney women.

Background:  In Australia, reported rates of Chlamydia trachomatis infection have been rising progressively since the mid‐1990s. Opportunistic testing of sexually active young women attending clinical services for other reasons has already been implemented in a number of other countries.

The differing profiles of symptomatic and asymptomatic Chlamydia trachomatis-infected men in a clinical setting

The objectives of this study were to determine whether the risk profiles of chlamydia-infected men in a clinical setting differ based on their symptom status. In all, 363 heterosexual, chlamydia-infected men attending a Sydney sexual health service were compared with controls. The 172 asymptomatically infected men and the 183 symptomatically infected men were also compared with the controls, and with each other. Compared with symptomatic men, asymptomatically infected men were younger (P = 0.03), and more likely to be overseas-born (adjusted odds ratio (AOR) 2.0, 95% confidence interval [CI] [1.1–3.5]), to be in a relationship (AOR 2.4, 95% CI [1.4–4.0]), to report contact with a chlamydia-infected woman (AOR 3.7, 95% CI [2.0–7.1]) and to have had contact with a partner with a non-chlamydial infection (AOR 10.7, 95% CI [1.3–89.7]). Infected men with a history of chlamydia were more likely to have current symptoms and a shorter duration of those symptoms. In conclusion, in a clinical setting, there appear to be differences in the profiles of symptomatic and asymptomatic chlamydia-infected men.

Bullous impetigo in homosexual men--a risk marker for HIV-1 infection?

OBJECTIVE--To determine the incidence of bullous impetigo in a group of homosexual men at high risk of HIV-1 infection. DESIGN--A longitudinal descriptive study (1984-9). SETTING--A private primary care and STD clinic in Sydney, Australia. SUBJECTS--88 homosexual men documented to seroconvert to HIV-1, and 37 homosexual controls who had practised unprotected anal intercourse with another man known to be HIV-1 positive but who remained HIV-1 negative. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE--Incidence of bullous impetigo. RESULTS--The crude annual incidence of bullous impetigo was 0.015 in subjects while they remained HIV-1 negative (10 cases) and 0.045 in early HIV-1 positive subjects (2 cases). Overall, 9% of the HIV-1 seroconverters and 9% of the HIV-1 negative controls were documented as suffering bullous impetigo over a mean of 29.2 and 39.3 months, respectively. CONCLUSIONS--Bullous impetigo in an adult could prove to be a clinical indication that a person is either infected with HIV-1 or is in close (possibly sexual) contact with a person with HIV-1 infection. If true, the recognition of bullous impetigo could provide an opportunity for behavioural intervention to limit the spread of HIV-1.

Why Virgins Attend Sexually Transmitted Disease Clinics

We sought to ascertain the reasons why virgins might attend sexually transmitted disease (STD) clinics. The medical records of 31 patients (18 males and 13 females) attending a major public STD clinic and who declared no lifetime sexual partners were examined. Nine subjects were concerned about genital anatomical variation while 3 had non-STD genital pathology (urinary tract infection, non-specific genital dermatosis, vaginismus). Six attended for human immunodeficiency virus antibody testing and 3 for hepatitis-related reasons. Of 6 children, 5 were screened for congenital syphilis and the other had genital warts. Three older patients (aged 34–38) presented with genital symptoms as part of a previously diagnosed psychosis. One prostitute who attended for a ‘certificate’ had never had penetrative sex. Most attendances in this study were appropriate and reflect the increasing recognition of STD clinics as appropriate centres for a wide range of non-STD genital and sexual problems.