Survey of the Venereal Disease Situation in France

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Abstract
Early syphilis was reduced by over 90% in the decade from 1945 to 1955, whereas blennorrhagia (urethral discharge of all types) was reduced by only 50%. Durel believes that non-gonococcal urethritis comprises 70% of cases of blenorrhagia. Prolonged treatment schedules common in France are discussed. Durel states, "Patients are accustomed to a lengthy treatment and rarely default. These good habits would quickly be lost if treatment with one injection became general." Some apparent treatment failures are suggested to be possibly reinfections; (Schamberg, I. L.,) seropositivity in patients previously treated for syphilis. The differentiation between seroresistance and "treatment failure." Am. J. Syph., Gon.and Ven. Dis., 1950, 34:73). The continued high gonorrhea rate is explained by late diagnosis in the female and failure to treat both sexual partners simultaneously. Streptomycin is most frequently used for treatment of gonorrhea, apparently in order to avoid masking concurrently acquired syphilis. Complications have practically disappeared. Trichomonas vaginalis is considered causative in many cases of non-gonococcal urethritis. Current laws and practices regarding prostitution are delineated.