Trends in the Prevalence of Venereal Diseases in Pondicherry

Abstract

Trends in the prevalence of venereal diseases in Pondicherry is discussed for the period 1961-65 based on the past records of Venereal Disease Clinics in General Hospital Pondicherry run by the staff of the Medical College, Pondicherry. Diseases like lympho-granuloma venereum, granuloma inguinale and non-specific urethritis have been diagnosed which were not reported before 1959. Similarly cases of cardiovascular and neurosyphilis have been recorded. Syphilis, all stages are responsible for 37.03 per cent of the total attendance. Primary syphilis was responsible for 50 percent, secondary syphilis 12 to 19 per cent, latent syphilis 25 to 35 per cent and tertiary syphilis 3 to 7 percent of the total attendance. Gonoffhoea is responsible for 17.42 per cent, Chancroid 25.85 per cent, lymphogranuloma venereum 6.21 per cent, granuloma inguinale 5.02 per cent and non-specific urethritis 8.47 per cent of the total attendance. Chancroid has moved up as a second leading cause of attendance in place of gonorrhoea. Males predominate over the females in all these diseases.