The etiology of genital ulcer disease and its relationship to HIV infection

Objective: To investigate the etiology of genital ulcer disease (GUD) and the relationship between GUD and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection. Methods: Dark field microscopy, serology test were used to detect Treponema pallidum (TP) , Herpes simplex virus (HSV) was detected by enzyme immunoassay, Haemophilus ducreyi (HD) was detected by culture method, and serum HIV antibody was tested in 285 patients with GUD. Results:285 patients with GUD were studied. TP and HSV were detected in 75(26. 3%) and 74(26. 0 %) patients, respectively, both the two pathogens were detected in 9(3. 2%) patients, no HD was found. No pathogen was identified in 136(47. 7%) patients. The seroprevalence of HIV was 1.8% (5/285). HIV seroprevalence positive rates in patients with syphilis, genital herpes and remaining patients with GUD were 4. 0%(3/75) , 1. 4%(l/74) and 0. 7%(l/136) , respectively. HIV seroprevalence positive rate in patients with syphilis was higher than the patients with genital herpes and the remaining GUD patients, however, there were no statistically significant difference. Conclusions:The major pathogens of GUD are syphilis and genital herpes. The seropositive HIV infection in GUD is very low, further studies are needed to elucidate the relationship between syphilis, genital herpes and HIV infection.