Characteristics of MSM clients visiting the STI clinic Amsterdam, March–June 2020, who were included in the study, by diarrhoea history
| Total (n=389) | No diarrhoea (n=212) | Diarrhoea last month (n=109) | Currently diarrhoea (n=68) | P value* | ||
| Age in years, median (IQR) | 32 (26–44) | 33 (26–46) | 33 (26–44) | 29 (26–37.5) | 0.088 | |
| Age in years, n (%) | 16–24 | 67 (17.2) | 37 (17.5) | 17 (15.6) | 13 (19.1) | 0.579 |
| 25–34 | 147 (37.8) | 77 (36.3) | 39 (35.8) | 31 (45.6) | ||
| 35–44 | 78 (20.0) | 40 (18.9) | 26 (23.9) | 12 (17.7) | ||
| 45–75 | 97 (24.9) | 58 (27.4) | 27 (24.8) | 12 (17.7) | ||
| Country of origin, n (%) | Netherlands | 161 (41.4) | 91 (42.9) | 53 (48.6) | 17 (25.0) | 0.034 |
| Other Europe | 80 (20.6) | 39 (18.4) | 18 (16.5) | 23 (33.8) | ||
| America | 67 (17.2) | 40 (18.9) | 13 (11.9) | 14 (20.6) | ||
| Africa | 19 (4.9) | 11 (5.2) | 6 (5.5) | 2 (2.9) | ||
| Asia and Oceania | 61 (15.7) | 31 (14.6) | 18 (16.5) | 12 (17.7) | ||
| Unknown | 1 (0.3) | 0 | 1 (0.9) | 0 | ||
| HIV and PrEP status, n (%) | HIV−, no PrEP use | 146 (37.5) | 81 (38.2) | 40 (36.7) | 25 (36.8) | 0.006 |
| HIV−, PrEP use | 151 (38.8) | 82 (38.7) | 50 (45.9) | 19 (27.9) | ||
| HIV+ | 75 (19.3) | 42 (19.8) | 11 (10.1) | 22 (32.4) | ||
| Unknown | 17 (4.4) | 7 (3.3) | 8 (7.3) | 2 (2.9) | ||
| No. of sex partners in last 6 months, n (%) | 0 or 1 | 35 (9.0) | 20 (9.4) | 10 (9.2) | 5 (7.4) | 0.814 |
| 2–4 | 96 (24.7) | 52 (24.5) | 25 (22.3) | 19 (27.9) | ||
| 5–9 | 88 (22.6) | 53 (25.0) | 21 (19.3) | 14 (20.6) | ||
| ≥10 | 168 (43.2) | 86 (40.6) | 53 (48.6) | 29 (42.7) | ||
| Unknown | 2 (0.5) | 1 (0.5) | 0 | 1 (1.5) | ||
| Anal symptoms, n (%) | No | 360 (92.5) | 210 (99.1) | 102 (93.6) | 48 (70.6) | <0.001 |
| Yes | 29 (7.5) | 2 (0.9) | 7 (6.4) | 20 (29.4) | ||
| Discharge | 20 (5.1) | 1 (0.5) | 2 (1.8) | 17 (25) | ||
| Burning sensation | 4 (1.0) | 0 | 0 | 4 (5.9) | ||
| Wounds | 4 (1.0) | 0 | 4 (3.7) | 0 | ||
| Itch | 1 (0.3) | 0 | 1 (0.9) | 0 | ||
| Warts | 1 (0.3) | 1 (0.5) | 0 | 0 | ||
| Timing of sample with regard to lockdown period | Before lockdown (until 16 March) | 333 (85.6) | 212 (100) | 108 (99.1) | 13 (19.1) | <0.001 |
| During lockdown | 56 (14.4) | 0 | 1 (0.9) | 55 (80.9) | ||
| NG†, n (%) | Negative | 339 (87.2) | 183 (86.3) | 100 (91.7) | 56 (82.4) | 0.167 |
| Positive | 50 (12.9) | 29 (13.7) | 9 (8.3) | 12 (17.7) | ||
| CT†, n (%) | Negative | 354 (91.0) | 193 (91.0) | 101 (92.7) | 60 (88.2) | 0.606 |
| Positive | 35 (9.0) | 19 (9.0) | 8 (7.3) | 8 (11.8) | ||
| Syphilis, n (%) | Negative | 384 (98.7) | 211 (99.5) | 106 (97.3) | 67 (98.5) | 0.226 |
| Positive | 5 (1.3) | 1 (0.5) | 3 (2.8) | 1 (1.5) | ||
| Hepatitis B, n (%) | Negative | 388 (99.7) | 212 (100) | 108 (99.1) | 68 (100) | 0.276 |
| Positive | 1 (0.3) | 0 | 1 (0.9) | 0 | ||
| Shigella, n (%) | Negative | 376 (96.7) | 206 (97.2) | 105 (96.3) | 65 (95.6) | 0.799 |
| Positive | 13 (3.3) | 6 (2.8) | 4 (3.7) | 3 (4.4) | ||
| Campylobacter, n (%) | Negative | 382 (98.2) | 210 (99.1) | 105 (96.3) | 67 (98.5) | 0.215 |
| Positive | 7 (1.8) | 2 (0.9) | 4 (3.7) | 1 (1.5) | ||
| SARS-CoV-2, n (%) | Negative | 385 (99.0) | 211 (99.5) | 108 (99.1) | 66 (97.1) | 0.212 |
| Positive | 4 (1.0) | 1 (0.5) | 1 (0.9) | 2 (2.9) |
Table was created by the authors.
*P values were determined excluding the unknown values.
†Pathogen detected on any anatomical location.
CT, Chlamydia trachomatis; MSM, men having sex with men; NG, Neisseria gonorrhoeae; PrEP, pre-exposure prophylaxis.;