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Amoebiasis among patrons visiting gay saunas in Taiwan
Author(s) -
Hung CC,
Ko NY,
Ko WC,
Lee HC,
Ji DD,
Liu WC,
Chang SC
Publication year - 2008
Publication title -
hiv medicine
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.53
H-Index - 79
eISSN - 1468-1293
pISSN - 1464-2662
DOI - 10.1111/j.1468-1293.2008.00609.x
Subject(s) - medicine , amoebiasis , entamoeba histolytica , family medicine , immunology
Aims This study aimed to assess the prevalence of amoebiasis among patrons visiting gay saunas in Taiwan. Methods A cross‐sectional survey was conducted using questionnaire interview and indirect hemagglutination assays and specific Entamoeba histolytica antigen assays of blood and rectal swab specimens, respectively, among patrons visiting 10 gay saunas between September 2006 and December 2006. Results During the three‐month study period, 208 blood and 120 rectal swab specimens were tested for E. histolytica infection. Amoebiasis was detected among 3.8% and 3.3% of the patrons by serologies and antigen assays, respectively. During the latest sexual encounter, more than 70% of the patrons had oral‐anogenital sex, and only 20% used condoms during oral‐anogenital contact. Conclusion Our findings suggest that there is a potential risk of E. histolytica transmission among the patrons visiting gay saunas who do not practise safe sex consistently in Taiwan.