Rare
STD In U.S.
Two
men in New York have been diagnosed with a rare sexually transmitted
disease that can scar the genitals. It is the same strain that
was recently detected in Europe. Lymphogranuloma venereum, or
LGV, is a form of chlamydia that can damage the bowels and scar
the anus. Among the few patients that have been identified in
the United States, most also had the AIDS virus.
LGV increases
the risk of the spread of HIV because it causes ulcers and bleeding.
The federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention earlier
confirmed three LGV cases in San Francisco and one in Atlanta.
Gay and bisexual
men were urged to abstain from sex or limit their number of sex
partners and use condoms. Unprotected anal intercourse is the
key risk factor for the spread of LGV.
Symptoms include
painful rectal infections, but the first symptom may be a painless
pimple or lesion on the genitals. If identified early, LGV can
be treated with antibiotics. Untreated, it can cause permanent
damage to the bowels and swelling and scarring of the genitals.
Death is rare.
The
Holistic Wisdom Corporation