ABSTRACT
We used PCR assays to determine the etiology of genital ulcers in patients presenting to a sexually transmitted disease clinic in Dakar, Senegal, and evaluated the ability of two PCR tests (
groEL
and
recD
) and two serological tests (adsorption enzyme immunoassay [EIA] and lipooligosaccharide [LOS] EIA) to detect current
Haemophilus ducreyi
infection. We found that in this population,
H. ducreyi
,
T. pallidum
, and herpes simplex virus HSV DNA were detected in 56, 15, and 13% of 39 genital ulcer specimens, respectively, and
H. ducreyi
DNA was detected in 60% (3 of 5) of samples from ulcerated bubos. Among 40 consecutive patients with genital ulcer disease and with sufficient sample for both PCR assays, the
recD
and
groEL H. ducreyi
PCR assays were 83% concordant, with the
recD
PCR assay detecting six (15%) additional positive specimens and the
groEL
assay detecting one (3%) additional positive specimen. Compared to PCR, the adsorption EIA and LOS EIA tests had sensitivities of 71 and 59% and specificities of 57 and 90%, respectively, for the diagnosis of current
H. ducreyi
infection. While these differences in specificity could be due either to previous infection with
H. ducreyi
or to the detection of cross-reacting antibodies, only 6% of patients from a nearby family planning clinic gave a positive reaction in both the adsorption EIA and LOS EIA assays, indicating that cross-reacting antibodies are not prevalent among clinic attendees in this city. Our studies indicate that the adsorption EIA detects both current and past infection, while the LOS EIA assay is more specific for current infection with
H. ducreyi
in this population.
HIV infection, genital ulcer disease, and crack cocaine use among patients attending a clinic for sexually transmitted diseases.
