Background The Ministry of Health in Morocco conducted several studies to determine the prevalence of STIs in the Moroccan population. Two studies in 1999 and 2011, among women consultants in family planning units (FPU) for studied the aetiology and for follow the trends of genital tract infections and two studies in 2001 and 2009 to determine the aetiological profile of urethral discharge (UD).

Methods A samples of 760 (1999) and 256 (2011) women who consult in the maternal and infant health units (MIHU) and in the FPU were recruited and samples of 422 (2001) and 171 (2009) men complaining of UD were recruited in basic health services. Neisseria gonorrhoeae (GC) identification was performed by culture and PCR and Chlamydia trachomatis (CT) was detected by PCR. HIV and Syphilis status was determined for all the patients.

Results Results showed that cervical infection due to GC and CT increased respectively from 0,7% to 0,9% and 4,02% to 4,4% from 1999 to 2011. Urethral discharge caused by GC and CT extend respectively from 41,6% in 2001 to 62,8% in 2009 and from 6,3% in 2001 to 10,4% in 2009. Syphilis serology decreased in women and men and no case for the HIV was detected.

Conclusion The increase of cervical infections and urethral discharges with GC and CT showed that the asymptomatic infections in women and the UD are a serious problem for the Moroccan population. These studies has allowed the Ministry of Health (MOH) to update the data on the aetiology of STIs in women and men and therefore to strengthen primary prevention of STIs and regularly monitor trends in prevalence of these infections among the general population and also among vulnerable groups in particular.

Disclosure of interest statement We declare that none of the authors has conflicts of interest relevant to this work and no pharmaceutical grants were received in the development of these studies.