Health
Patients with one STD at high risk for second
NEWS IN BRIEF — Posted Nov. 6, 2006
People diagnosed with chlamydiosis, gonorrhea or vaginosis are at high risk of a second infection within a year, says a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention study in the Oct. 17 Annals of Internal Medicine.
Researchers analyzed data on 2,419 patients participating in an HIV prevention counseling trial at three urban STD clinics. Nearly 26% of the women and about 15% of the men acquired an infection during the course of the study. Those with an initial case had more than double the risk of having a second one within a year.
The authors note that this study may have limited generalizability outside of the STD clinic setting, but are advocating rescreening to catch subsequent infections -- the majority of which occur without symptoms.
"Although single-dose therapy may adequately treat the infection, it often does not adequately treat the patient," they wrote.
Note: This item originally appeared at http://www.ama-assn.org/amednews/2006/11/06/hlbf1106.htm.
