Holistic Wisdom Corporation

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.