{Reference Type}: Journal Article
{Title}: STD care in Zambia: an evaluation of the guidelines for case management through a syndromic approach.
{Author}: Hanson S;Sunkutu RM;Kamanga J;Höjer B;Sandström E;
{Journal}: Int J STD AIDS
{Volume}: 7
{Issue}: 5
{Year}: Aug-Sep 1996
{Factor}: 1.456
{DOI}: 10.1258/0956462961918211
{Abstract}: Clinical diagnosis of STDs is unreliable and therefore constitutes a poor basis for choice of treatment. A syndromic approach has been suggested to increase effectiveness of treatment in resource poor settings. Algorithms for the treatment of STD syndromes were evaluated. A total of 436 patients were followed; cure rates were defined and estimated for genital ulcer disease (GUD), urethral and vaginal discharge. Cure rates for the discharge syndromes were high, 97-98%, for both sexes. The cure rate for GUD was 83% for female and 69% for male patients. A higher prevalence of syphilis in the female study population probably contributed to this. It is likely that a large proportion of the treatment failures were due to decreased susceptibility of Haemophilus ducreyi to trimethoprim-sulpha. The determination of cure rates met with a number of methodological problems. This makes it difficult to evaluate the algorithms as part of routine activities, as suggested earlier by WHO.