In Djibouti, the prevalence of female genital mutilations (FGMs) amounts to 98% and the practice is still in use. When I left, in 1999, I knew I would involve myself in the fight against FGMs and I describe here the outcome of an obstacle course of more than ten years duration. This paper is written on behalf of innumerable women, who could give you a similar account.

Lichen planus (LP) is a chronic mucocutaneous disease with unknown cause. Patients with LP often have both oral and genital lesions, but these conditions are often considered as separate diseases and treated accordingly. To find out which genes are differently expressed in mucosal LP compared to normal mucosa and establish whether oral and genital LP are in fact the same disease, whole genome e...

OBJECTIVE To study the microbial aetiology of genital ulcer disease (GUD) in women. DESIGN Microbial and clinical assessment of genital ulcers in women. SETTING City Health sexually transmitted diseases clinic, King Edward VIII Hospital, Durban, South Africa. PARTICIPANTS 100 Zulu women with genital ulceration who had not received antibiotics in the previous two weeks. RESULTS Syphilis ...

OBJECTIVE To determine independent risks with predictive value for specific sexually transmitted diseases in women. DESIGN A prospective study of reported sexual behaviour in patients who presented for screening and diagnosis of sexually transmitted diseases. SETTING A genitourinary medicine clinic at the West London Hospital. SUBJECTS 1025 consecutive newly attending patients who complet...

Herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) is increasingly reported in primary genital herpes. Its incidence was assessed among Rotterdam sexually transmitted diseases clinic attendees between 1996 and 2001, and demographic and sexual behaviour factors were evaluated. A retrospective record analysis was performed. All herpes diagnoses were based on cell culture techniques. A clinical scoring system wa...

Accepted for publication 28 April 1993 Abstract Objective-To determine independent risks with predictive value for specific sexually transmitted diseases in women. Design-A prospective study of reported sexual behaviour in patients who presented for screening and diagnosis of sexually transmitted diseases. Setting-A genitourinary medicine clinic at the West London Hospital. Subjects.-1025 conse...

BACKGROUND The practice of Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) is common in several African countries and some parts of Asia. This practice is not only a violation of human rights, but also puts women at risk of adverse health outcomes. This paper analysed the trends in the prevalence of FGM in Burkina Faso and investigated factors that are associated with this practice following the enactment of a...

OBJECTIVE(S) Infection with the human T-cell lymphotrophic virus type-I (HTLV-I) is endemic in Mashhad, Iran. In our research we evaluated the relation between exposure to this infection and the occurrence of dermatologic manifestations. MATERIALS AND METHODS 100 blood donors, who were seropositive but asymptomatic for infection with HTLV-I, were selected as case group. They were identified b...