Acta Tropica 80 (2001) 261–264 Neisseria gonorrhoeae and Chlamydia trachomatis infections in patients attending STD and family planning clinics in Bissau, Guinea-Bissau J.P. Gomes a, *, L. Tavira b,c , F. Exposto c , E. Prieto c , M.A. Catry a a Laborato ´rio de Bacteriologia, Instituto Nacional de Sau ´de, Unidade de Chlamydia, A. Padre Cruz, 1649 -016 -Lisbon, Portugal b Centro de Medicina Tropical de Bissau, Guinea -Bissau c Unidade de Doenc ¸as Sexualmente Transmitidas /Centro de Mala ´ria e outras Doenc ¸as Tropicais /Instituto de Higiene e Medicina Tr opical, R. Junqueira no. 96, 1349 -008 -Lisbon, Portugal Received 25 October 2000; received in revised form 16 May 2001; accepted 25 July 2001 Abstract Accurate clinical and laboratory data about sexually transmitted diseases (STD) prevalence in Guinea-Bissau are not available. These data are important, since HIV2 is prevalent in this country, rates of HIV1 are increasing and STDs facilitate HIV transmission. Since DNA amplification methods have demonstrated to accurately diagnose chlamydial infections and gonorrhoea, the Amplicor CT/NG PCR Assay with Internal Control of Amplification (Roche Diagnostic System, Branchburg, NJ, USA) was used to estimate the prevalence of Neisseria gonorrhoeae and Chlamydia trachomatis genital infections in STDs and Family Planning Clinic attenders in Bissau, from March to July 1997. Two hundred and two cervical swabs and 31 urethral swabs were examined. Two women were excluded from this study because their cervical swabs contained inhibitory substances. N. gonorrhoeae was identified in 34/200 (17%) women and in 12/31 (38.7%) men. C. trachomatis was detected in 8/200 (4%) women there were no positive C. trachomatis results among the 31 men with urethritis. One woman presented a mixed infection with both organisms. The prevalence difference between men and women was not statistically significant (P =0.6) for C. trachomatis infection, but it was significant for N. gonorrhoeae infection (P =0.01). The prevalence rates of these infections found in this study, support the need for an urgent strategy to control STD in the region. © 2001 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved. Keywords: Guinea-Bissau; Prevalence; Gonorrhoea; Chlamydia trachomatis www.parasitology-online.com 1. Introduction In Guinea-Bissau, sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) are known to be prevalent and an impor- tant cause of morbidity and even mortality. How- ever, as in other developing countries, accurate * Corresponding author. Tel.: +351-21-751-9228; fax: + 351-21-7526-400. E-mail address: j.paulo.gomes@insa.min-saude.pt (J.P. Gomes). 0001-706X/01/$ - see front matter © 2001 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved. PII:S0001-706X(01)00182-6