Research physicians at Whitman-Walker Clinic have identified four cases in gay men of a strain of Chlamydia usually found in Third World nations, Clinic officials announced today. These are believed to be the first documented cases of lymphogranuloma venereum (LGV), a sexually transmitted bacterial infection, in D.C.-area men who have sex with men, according to Dr. Philippe Chiliade, the Clinic's medical director.

"Finding this strain of Chlamydia in area men who have sex with men is concerning," Chiliade said. "It is more difficult to diagnose that the more common Chlamydia trachoma. Men who have this infection and continue to have sex with other men increase their likelihood of contracting HIV. LGV infection can cause open sores that make it easier for HIV to pass from a sex partner. In addition, some men who contract LGV have no symptoms for months, during which they may continue to spread the bacteria to others if they practice unsafe sex."

A handful of cases of LGV have been identified among men who have sex with men in New York and San Francisco; one case was confirmed in Atlanta in 2004. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has been warning about the potential for this STD to spread since 2003, when the first cases were confirmed among men who have sex with men (MSM) in Rotterdam, Netherlands. Since then, more than 140 cases have been confirmed in the Netherlands and others have been reported in MSM in Belgium, France, Sweden, Germany, Great Britain and Spain.

"This particular strain of Chlamydia is difficult to diagnose because it does not show up in routine lab tests," Chiliade said. "In 2005, we treated 10 men who had sex with men who complained of rectal pain and ulcers - classic symptoms of Chlamydia infection. Since we had been alerted to look for the LGV strain, we asked the CDC to test samples and four of them came back positive for LGV."

LGV can be effectively treated with a three-week course of the antibiotics doxycycline.

LGV is primarily transmitted through sexual contact. It is endemic to East and West Africa, India, parts of Southeast Asia, South America and the Caribbean. Among men who have sex with men, it is transmitted primarily through anal sex. The first symptom is usually a painless genital sore, which can appear three days to six weeks after exposure. It may disappear after a few days. However, left untreated, LGV can lead to infected lymph glands, groin ulcers and permanent genital scarring.

Established in 1973, Whitman-Walker Clinic is a non-profit, community-based provider of health care and social services in the Washington, D.C., metropolitan area. Through sites in the District of Columbia and Northern Virginia, the Clinic offers primary medical and dental care; mental health and addictions counseling and treatment; HIV education, prevention and testing; legal services; case management; and a food bank. Whitman-Walker Clinic is committed to meeting the life needs of the gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender community and people living with HIV/AIDS.