The first United Kingdom cases of a previously rare disease have been reported in gay men, reveals an editorial in the journal Sexually Transmitted Infections. Lymphograunuloma venereum (LGV) is a genital/anogenital bacterial infection caused by a particularly invasive strain of Chlamydia trachomatis. It was considered relatively rare until 2003, when around 100 cases were reported in gay men in Rotterdam in the Netherlands, most of whom were also HIV positive or had other sexually transmitted infections, including hepatitis C.
Since then outbreaks have been reported in Antwerp, Belgium, Hamburg, Germany, and Paris, France. Cases have also been reported in Sweden, and most recently in several U.S. cities, including New York, San Francisco, and Atlanta.
Last year, one of the UK's leading HIV charities, The Terrence Higgins Trust, and the Health Protection Agency, which monitors cases of the disease, took steps to alert clinicians and those most at risk to the spread of the infection.
In January 2005, the first 24 cases were reported in the UK, mostly from sexual health clinics in London. All were in gay men, 17 of whom were HIV positive. Four also had hepatitis C infection.
Five thought they had caught the infection in mainland Europe, while the others said they had become infected in the UK. By mid February, a total of 34 cases had been reported.
The infection usually manifests as an ulcer or papule, and symptoms usually include rectal inflammation (proctitis), rectal pain and bleeding, straining, constipation and abdominal pain. The infection may also be accompanied by fever and malaise. These can be treated with a three-week course of antibiotics; however, sometimes the primary ulcer goes unnoticed, and if left untreated, this can progress to chronic infection with the formation of skin pouches, abscesses, and narrowing of the anus as well as problems with the lymphatic system. In these cases, surgery is often necessary.
The authors suspect that the problem has been present for some time in the UK, with many cases going undiagnosed.
Source: Health Protection Agency
How Contaminated Is Your Stretcher? The Hidden Risks on Hospital Wheels
July 3rd 2025Despite routine disinfection, hospital surfaces, such as stretchers, remain reservoirs for harmful microbes, according to several recent studies. From high-touch areas to damaged mattresses and the effectiveness of antimicrobial coatings, researchers continue to uncover persistent risks in environmental hygiene, highlighting the critical need for innovative, continuous disinfection strategies in health care settings.
Beyond the Surface: Rethinking Environmental Hygiene Validation at Exchange25
June 30th 2025Environmental hygiene is about more than just shiny surfaces. At Exchange25, infection prevention experts urged the field to look deeper, rethink blame, and validate cleaning efforts across the entire care environment, not just EVS tasks.
A Controversial Reboot: New Vaccine Panel Faces Scrutiny, Support, and Sharp Divides
June 26th 2025As the newly appointed Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) met for the first time under sweeping changes by HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr, the national spotlight turned to the panel’s legitimacy, vaccine guidance, and whether science or ideology would steer public health policy in a polarized era.