Sexually Transmitted Infection Trends among Clinic Attendees of a Secondary Health Care Facility in Lagos, Nigeria: A 12-month Retrospective Review

Abstract

Background: Sexually transmitted infections (STIs) constitute major health problems and can have serious reproductive health consequences. Understanding the patterns of STI and their associated risk factors in a particular region is necessary for proper planning and implementation of targeted interventions. Aims: To determine the pattern of STI and their associated risk factors in a secondary health facility in Lagos, Nigeria. Materials and Methods: A hospital based, retrospective study of data collected from the clinical records of 31 patients who attended STI clinic of the General Hospital, Lagos over a period of 12 months. The diagnosis was made based on history, clinical examination and microbiological investigations. Data analysis was done by SPSS version 23. Results: Gonococcal urethritis 8(25.8%) was the commonest STI followed by 7(22.6%) trichomoniasis, 6(19.4%) genital warts, 6(19.4%) herpes genitalis 3(9.7%) non-gonococcal urethritis and 1(3.2%) person had chancroid and was HIV positive. Majority of the patients had 26 (83.9%) multiple sex partners, 18(58.9%) never used condom and 17(54.8%) had previous history of STI. Occasional use of condom (X2 = 6.482, df = 1, P- value = 0.039) and previous history of STI (X 2 = 4.644, df= 1, P- value =0.031) were statistically associated with Gonococcal urethritis. Dyspareunia (X2 = 15.708, df =1, P- value =0.000) was also statistically associated with Trichomoniasis. Conclusion: Bacterial STI still constitute a major burden of STI in our clinic which is contrary to the recent trends of viral STI constituting a major burden of STI in some parts of the world. Poor condom usage observed from this study might be partly responsible for it. Bearing in mind by Clinicians that bacterial STI is still rampant and Condom use promotion will go a long way to reduce the burden of STI in the community.