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Two new cases of a rare sexually transmitted disease that predominately affects gay men have been reported in New Zealand.
Lymphogranuloma venereum (LGV) is a particularly invasive strain of Chlamydia. Initial signs of LGV include sores on the penis and around the anus, and swollen lymph glands in the genital region. It can also cause anal bleeding, and can enhance the transmission of HIV. Left untreated, it can lead to disfigurement of the penis.
“Essentially there is severe swelling around the genitals and anus to the point where it can break through the skin,” Jason Asselin, Health Educator at the Victorian AIDS Council/Gay Men’s Health Centre (VAC/GMHC) told MCV.
Asselin says he is not surprised many gay men are unaware of the disease, as “it’s never been that common in developed countries; and then there was an outbreak in major international gay urban centres about three years ago.”
There have been two known cases of LGV in Melbourne, with the majority of cases reported in Europe.
The online journal Sexually Transmitted Infections states that between 2004 and 2007 there were 492 cases in the UK. The journal also stated: ‘All cases are in men, 99 per cent of whom are men who have sex with men, with a median age of 40 and predominantly white ethnicity (91 per cent)’.
“LGV is primarily transmitted though anal sex, but research has shown that it can be transmitted though unprotected oral sex as well,” Asselin explained, “and in most cases men are co-infected with HIV.”
LGV is treatable with a two-week course of antibiotics. The VAC recommends regular testing for sexually active gay men.
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