Sexually transmitted diseases in Operation Iraqi Freedom/Operation Enduring Freedom.

Objective: To identify the incidence of sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) in a female active duty population deployed in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom/Operation Enduring Freedom was the objective of this study.

Methods: Retrospective chart review was completed on all soldiers seeking outpatient gynecologic care at Camp Doha, Kuwait, from September 2003 through March 2004. Descriptive statistical analysis was performed on data from all patients identified as having an STD.

Results: Forty-four soldiers (2.5% of all encounters) were diagnosed with STDs during the study period. Genital herpes, Condyloma acuminata, and chlamydia were the most commonly identified infections accounting for 30, 25, and 21% of the diagnoses, respectively.

Conclusion: Transmission of STDs in the deployed environment continues to be problematic. Viral infections were more commonly encountered than were bacterial infections. Patient education and prevention should be emphasized. Consideration should be given to STD screening upon redeployment.