Clients of Female Sex Workers in Lima, Peru: a Bridge Population for Sexually Transmitted Disease/HIV Transmission?

Objectives: The objectives of this study were to determine the prevalence of risk behaviors, gonorrhea, and chlamydia in clients of female sex workers, and to compare them with men selected from the general population.

Study Design: We conducted a cross-sectional study of men recruited from commercial sex venues in Lima, Peru from January to February 2002. Subjects answered a survey and provided a urine sample.

Results: Men reported that in the recently concluded commercial sex encounter, 95.8% used condoms, and 85.8% always used condoms with female sex workers. Only 16% reported always using condoms with their stable partners; 50.8% always used condoms with casual, noncommercial partners; and 59.6% always used condoms for homosexual anal sex. There were 8 (2%) cases of chlamydia and no cases of gonorrhea.

Conclusions: Clients of female sex workers report high rates of condom use with sex workers and a low prevalence of chlamydia and gonorrhea. It is unlikely that they constitute a bridging population.