BACKGROUND

Extragenital localization is important for the spread of sexually transmitted infections (STIs). Nevertheless, researches on this topic are limited.

OBJECTIVE

To study the prevalence, features of clinical course and risk factors of extragenital forms of STIs development in patients of dermatovenereological institutions in Moscow.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

A number of women equal 210, who applied for STIs testing in the Moscow Center of Dermatovenereology, were examined. The causative agents were identified by real-time PCR. Features of diseases’ clinical course, sociodemographic and behavioral indicators were studied in patients with STIs.

RESULTS

STIs have been revealed in 48 (23%) of patients. Extragenital localization of lesions in 11 (23%) women was due to C. trachomatis and N. gonorrhoeae. Causative pathogens of STIs in extragenital foci were more often detected from the anogenital region (7/64%), less commonly from the oropharynx (5/46%) and conjunctiva (2/18%). C. trachomatis was less frequently isolated from extragenital foci (6/55%) than N. gonorrhoeae (8/73%). Asymptomatic course of infections has been established in 54% (20/37) of patients with urogenital and 73% (8/11) of patients with combined extragenital and urogenital localization. Patients with extragenital lesions differed from patients with urogenital localization of foci with a lower level of education, there were fewer constantly working, married, with children among them. They were more likely to have any type of sexual intercourse and less commonly used barrier contraception (p<0.001-0.05).

CONCLUSION

The obtained data indicate that there is a need to improve the regulation of women screening for STIs with the biological material investigation of both urogenital and extragenital loci.