Research output: Contribution to journal › Review article › Academic › peer-review
Lymphoganuloma venereum in the Western world, 15 years after its re-emergence : new perspectives and research priorities. / de Vries, Henry J C.
In: Current opinion in infectious diseases, Vol. 32, No. 1, 02.2019, p. 43-50.Research output: Contribution to journal › Review article › Academic › peer-review
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TY - JOUR
T1 - Lymphoganuloma venereum in the Western world, 15 years after its re-emergence
T2 - new perspectives and research priorities
AU - de Vries, Henry J C
PY - 2019/2
Y1 - 2019/2
N2 - PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Lymphogranuloma venereum (LGV) is a serious sexually transmitted infection caused by Chlamydia trachomatis. If left untreated LGV can cause irreversible late sequelae. LGV is endemic among a high-risk population of men who have sex with men (MSM), and largely reported in Western metropoles.RECENT FINDINGS: Although the majority of LGV patients are HIV positive, in recent years the proportion of HIV-negative MSM with LGV is rising. This could indicate a shift toward lower risk populations. Apart from a few European countries, no proper LGV surveillance efforts have been implemented so far. Moreover, a considerable proportion of the infections are asymptomatic. As a result, the true magnitude of the LGV epidemic is underestimated.Depending on the stage and location of infection, LGV manifests in a variety of clinical presentations. Among MSM, anorectal infections are overreported as opposed to genital LGV infections in a ratio of 15 to 1, respectively. Therefore, other modes of transmission apart from anal sex are here discussed.SUMMARY: To improve surveillance, cheaper and more practical screening methods are needed. Moreover, randomized clinical trials are needed to evaluate more simple treatment modalities as opposed to the currently recommended 3-week course of doxycycline.
AB - PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Lymphogranuloma venereum (LGV) is a serious sexually transmitted infection caused by Chlamydia trachomatis. If left untreated LGV can cause irreversible late sequelae. LGV is endemic among a high-risk population of men who have sex with men (MSM), and largely reported in Western metropoles.RECENT FINDINGS: Although the majority of LGV patients are HIV positive, in recent years the proportion of HIV-negative MSM with LGV is rising. This could indicate a shift toward lower risk populations. Apart from a few European countries, no proper LGV surveillance efforts have been implemented so far. Moreover, a considerable proportion of the infections are asymptomatic. As a result, the true magnitude of the LGV epidemic is underestimated.Depending on the stage and location of infection, LGV manifests in a variety of clinical presentations. Among MSM, anorectal infections are overreported as opposed to genital LGV infections in a ratio of 15 to 1, respectively. Therefore, other modes of transmission apart from anal sex are here discussed.SUMMARY: To improve surveillance, cheaper and more practical screening methods are needed. Moreover, randomized clinical trials are needed to evaluate more simple treatment modalities as opposed to the currently recommended 3-week course of doxycycline.
KW - Communicable Diseases, Emerging/epidemiology
KW - Humans
KW - Lymphogranuloma Venereum/epidemiology
KW - Population Surveillance
KW - Western World
U2 - 10.1097/QCO.0000000000000519
DO - 10.1097/QCO.0000000000000519
M3 - Review article
C2 - 30507675
VL - 32
SP - 43
EP - 50
JO - Current opinion in infectious diseases
JF - Current opinion in infectious diseases
SN - 0951-7375
IS - 1
ER -
ID: 10855794