{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,10,12]],"date-time":"2026-10-12T19:04:00Z","timestamp":1791831840992,"version":"4.3.4"},"reference-count":10,"publisher":"Wiley","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,2,15]],"date-time":"2026-02-15T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1771113600000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"http:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"},{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,2,15]],"date-time":"2026-02-15T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1771113600000},"content-version":"tdm","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"http:\/\/doi.wiley.com\/10.1002\/tdm_license_1.1"}],"funder":[{"DOI":"10.13039\/501100021201","name":"European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","award":["PPRC\u2010EADV\u20102024\u20100024"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["PPRC\u2010EADV\u20102024\u20100024"]}],"id":[{"id":"10.13039\/501100021201","id-type":"DOI","asserted-by":"publisher"}]}],"content-domain":{"domain":["onlinelibrary.wiley.com"],"crossmark-restriction":true},"short-container-title":["Int J Dermatology"],"abstract":"ABSTRACT<\/jats:title>\n \n Background<\/jats:title>\n Sexually transmitted infections (STIs) remain a significant public health concern in Romania, yet limited data exist on STI prevalence and knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP) among at risk populations. This study aims to assess STI prevalence and KAP among attendees of a free\u2010of\u2010charge STI testing campaign and to examine associations between knowledge, risk behaviors, and laboratory\u2010confirmed STI status.<\/jats:p>\n <\/jats:sec>\n \n Methods<\/jats:title>\n \n A cross\u2010sectional study was conducted at Colentina Clinical Hospital, Bucharest, from June to November 2025 during a free\u2010of\u2010charge STI testing campaign. Participants (\n n<\/jats:italic>\n \u2009=\u200970) completed a structured KAP questionnaire using 7\u2010point Likert scales and underwent comprehensive polymerase chain reaction (PCR) testing from multiple anatomical sites for bacterial STIs (including\n \n Chlamydia trachomatis<\/jats:italic>\n <\/jats:styled-content>\n ,\n \n Neisseria gonorrhoeae<\/jats:italic>\n <\/jats:styled-content>\n ,\n \n Mycoplasma genitalium<\/jats:italic>\n <\/jats:styled-content>\n ,\n \n Ureaplasma urealyticum<\/jats:italic>\n <\/jats:styled-content>\n ), plus serological testing for syphilis (VDRL\/TPHA), human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), and hepatitis B and C.\n <\/jats:p>\n <\/jats:sec>\n \n Results<\/jats:title>\n \n The sample was predominantly male (84.3%) and men who have sex with men (MSM, 70.0%), with a mean\u00a0age of 33.3\u2009\u00b1\u200911.3\u2009years. Despite high overall knowledge (85.3%), STI prevalence was substantial: active syphilis 17.7%, HIV 11.5%, and\n \n Chlamydia trachomatis<\/jats:italic>\n <\/jats:styled-content>\n 8.6%, while\n \n Ureaplasma urealyticum<\/jats:italic>\n <\/jats:styled-content>\n was the most commonly\u2010detected organism (21.4%). Overall, 35.5% had clinically relevant bacterial STIs. Participants with STIs showed significantly higher agreement with specific misconceptions.\n \n Chlamydia trachomatis<\/jats:italic>\n <\/jats:styled-content>\n was significantly more frequent in non\u2010MSM (23.8%) than MSM (2.0%,\n p<\/jats:italic>\n \u2009=\u20090.008), while\n \n Neisseria gonorrhoeae<\/jats:italic>\n <\/jats:styled-content>\n infections (5.7%) occurred only in MSM, with 80% isolates detected extragenitally. Preference for quarterly screening dropped from 62.9% (if free\u2010of\u2010charge) to 17.1% (if paid) (\n p<\/jats:italic>\n \u2009=\u20090.002).\n <\/jats:p>\n <\/jats:sec>\n \n Conclusions<\/jats:title>\n In this first comprehensive STI study among a predominantly MSM cohort in Romania, prevalence was high (35.5% for clinically relevant bacterial STIs), with multisite testing proving essential. Despite high general knowledge, specific misconceptions predicted positive STI status, while cost remained a major barrier to optimal testing frequency. These findings support implementation of free\u2010of\u2010charge, multisite screening programs and targeted interventions addressing specific KAPs.<\/jats:p>\n \n \n \n image<\/jats:alt-text>\n <\/jats:graphic>\n <\/jats:boxed-text>\n <\/jats:p>\n <\/jats:sec>","DOI":"10.1111\/ijd.70344","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2026,2,15]],"date-time":"2026-02-15T15:04:02Z","timestamp":1771167842000},"update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1002\/crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":1,"title":["Sexually Transmitted Infection Prevalence and Determinants Among Sexual Health Clinic Attendees in Bucharest, Romania"],"prefix":"10.1111","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-7769-3234","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Andrei","family":"Tanasov","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Carol Davila University of Medicine and Pharmacy Bucharest Romania"},{"name":"2nd Department of Dermatology Colentina Clinical Hospital Bucharest Romania"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-8719-6952","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"George\u2010Sorin","family":"Tiplica","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Carol Davila University of Medicine and Pharmacy Bucharest Romania"},{"name":"2nd Department of Dermatology Colentina Clinical Hospital Bucharest Romania"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"311","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,2,15]]},"reference":[{"key":"e_1_2_11_2_1","volume-title":"Implementing the Global Health Sector Strategies on HIV, Viral Hepatitis and Sexually Transmitted Infections, 2022\u20132030","author":"World Health Organization","year":"2024"},{"key":"e_1_2_11_3_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.eclinm.2025.103198"},{"key":"e_1_2_11_4_1","volume-title":"Analiza Bolilor Transmisibile Aflate \u00een Supraveghere\u2014Raport Pentru Anul 2024","author":"Institutul Na\u021bional de S\u0103n\u0103tate Public\u0103","year":"2024"},{"key":"e_1_2_11_5_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1111\/ijd.70040"},{"issue":"7","key":"e_1_2_11_6_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"587","DOI":"10.1177\/09564624251325310","article-title":"Expanding Access to STI Care With Free of Charge, Convenient Services in Sexual Health Walk\u2010In Clinics","volume":"36","author":"Avelino\u2010Silva V. I.","year":"2025","journal-title":"International Journal of STD & AIDS"},{"issue":"10","key":"e_1_2_11_7_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"951","DOI":"10.1177\/0956462419855484","article-title":"Prevalence of Gonorrhea and Chlamydia in a Community Clinic for Men Who Have Sex With Men in Lisbon, Portugal","volume":"30","author":"Ribeiro S.","year":"2019","journal-title":"International Journal of STD & AIDS"},{"key":"e_1_2_11_8_1","volume-title":"ECDC. Annual Epidemiological Report for 2023","author":"European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control","year":"2025"},{"issue":"9","key":"e_1_2_11_9_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"e1544","DOI":"10.1016\/S2214-109X(24)00266-3","article-title":"WHO Global Research Priorities for Sexually Transmitted Infections","volume":"12","author":"Gottlieb S. L.","year":"2024","journal-title":"Lancet Global Health"},{"key":"e_1_2_11_10_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1155\/2016\/5758387"},{"key":"e_1_2_11_11_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1111\/jdv.15146"}],"container-title":["International Journal of Dermatology"],"original-title":[],"language":"en","link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/onlinelibrary.wiley.com\/doi\/pdf\/10.1111\/ijd.70344","content-type":"application\/pdf","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"text-mining"},{"URL":"https:\/\/onlinelibrary.wiley.com\/doi\/full-xml\/10.1111\/ijd.70344","content-type":"application\/xml","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"text-mining"},{"URL":"https:\/\/onlinelibrary.wiley.com\/doi\/pdf\/10.1111\/ijd.70344","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2026,2,15]],"date-time":"2026-02-15T15:04:03Z","timestamp":1771167843000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/onlinelibrary.wiley.com\/doi\/10.1111\/ijd.70344"}},"subtitle":[],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2026,2,15]]},"references-count":10,"alternative-id":["10.1111\/ijd.70344"],"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1111\/ijd.70344","archive":["Portico"],"relation":{},"ISSN":["0011-9059","1365-4632"],"issn-type":[{"value":"0011-9059","type":"print"},{"value":"1365-4632","type":"electronic"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2026,2,15]]},"assertion":[{"value":"2025-12-27","order":0,"name":"received","label":"Received","group":{"name":"publication_history","label":"Publication History"}},{"value":"2026-02-05","order":2,"name":"accepted","label":"Accepted","group":{"name":"publication_history","label":"Publication History"}},{"value":"2026-02-15","order":3,"name":"published","label":"Published","group":{"name":"publication_history","label":"Publication History"}}],"article-number":"ijd.70344"}}