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ePaper created 2014-09-15, 12:31:02 | version 1.32.01
Research Venereology Diagnostics and treatment of venereal diseases have always been of importance in the city of Rotterdam because of its harbour and many seafarers. Even during the second World War (WWII) a paper was published in the Netherlands Journal of Medicine (Nederlands Tijdschrift voor Geneeskunde) on the adequate treatment of venereal diseases in soldiers throughout and after times of war. While the initial interest was mainly directed at syphilis and scabies, in the years after WWII more interest arose in gonococcal and non-gonococcal urethritis. Both, diagnostics and therapy were discussed in several papers, published mainly in the Netherlands Journal of Medicine. With the start of the Medical faculty of the EUR the interest of research in the field of other STD increased, like infections caused by Chlamydia trachomatis and herpes simplex virus. One paper evaluated the use of antibodies as a test for chlamydial infections.[1] Studies on the clinical presentation, immunology and serology of syphilis and non-venereal treponematoses resulted in many papers.[2,3] In the early nineteen eighties, more research was executed on infections due to Chlamydia trachomatis stressing - among others - the risk of infertility. Furthermore, the treatment options in genital herpes and the on-going debate about the most adequate therapy in gonorrhoea continued. Several studies were performed regarding diagnosis of bacterial vaginosis and Trichomonas vaginalis.[4] Genital warts and the prevalence of HPV-virus infections have been intensively studied in the nineties.[5] For some years the emphasis was on venereal diseases in men having sex with men (MSM) and the influence of the risk of acquiring HIV on having unprotected sex. In later years, optimism due to hopeful results of antiretroviral therapies lead to an increase of unprotected sex and a subsequent higher incidence of STD’s in MSM.[6] In 2003, first reports on the resurgence of lymphogranuloma venereum (LGV) in Western countries were published from data in Rotterdam and caused great concern throughout the Western world. Signs and symptoms, adequate treatment and the higher prevalence of concomitant hepatitis C infections were discussed in these papers.[7,8] Later on papers were published on symptoms in patients with rectal LGV in relation to non-LGV serovars of rectal chlamydial infections in MSM.[9] The Rotterdam department contributed to several (inter)national guidelines e.g. on the treatment of Chlamydia trachomatis and genital herpes.[10] 131 Gram stain of gonorrhea discharge, showing gram negative diplococci intracellularly in neutrophils. BWEADVSMGFINCORR:Opmaak 1 21-07-2014 17:40 Pagina 131