Prevalence and prediction of sexually transmitted diseases among sex workers in Cameroon.

The aim of the study was to determine the prevalence of sexually transmitted diseases (STDs), describe the frequency of genitourinary symptoms and signs, and to assess the accuracy of clinical diagnoses of STD in a cohort of Cameroonian sex workers. Physical examinations were conducted on 1233 sex workers in Yaoundé and Douala, Cameroon. Symptoms experienced within the 14 days prior to examination were collected. Women were tested for gonorrhoea, chlamydia infection, and trichomoniasis. Doctors' clinical impressions were compared with laboratory tests. Prevalence of cervical infection and trichomoniasis was 20%. A high percentage of abnormal signs and symptoms was found in this cohort. Clinical diagnosis for cervicitis and trichomoniasis had low sensitivities (<50%) while specificity remained high (>65%). In conclusion STDs are common among sex workers in Cameroon. Clinical diagnosis was not an accurate predictor of infection at the individual level in this population at risk of STD.