Epidemic Lymphogranuloma venereum during epidemics of crack cocaine use and HIV infection in the Bahamas.

Background: Since the early 1980s, the Bahamas has experienced sequential epidemics of freebase/crack cocaine use, genital ulcer-inguinal adenopathy disease (GUD), and heterosexual HIV infection.

Goal: To prospectively define the etiology of GUD in patients at the Princess Margaret Hospital during outbreaks of crack cocaine use, GUD, and HIV infection in the Bahamas.

Study Design: In Nassau, 47 consecutive patients with GUD underwent serologic testing for syphilis and for infections with HIV, herpes simplex virus type 2 (HSV-2), and Chlamydia trachomatis.