2019 European guideline on the management of lymphogranuloma venereum.

UNLABELLED: New or important issues in this updated version of the 2013 European guideline on the management of lymphogranuloma venereum (LGV): EPIDEMIOLOGY: Lymphogranuloma venereum continues to be endemic among European men who have sex with men (MSM) since 2003. Lymphogranuloma venereum infections in heterosexuals are extremely rare in Europe, and there is no evidence of transmission of LGV in the European heterosexual population.

AETIOLOGY AND TRANSMISSION: Chlamydia trachomatis serovars/genovars L2b and L2 are the causative strains in the majority of cases in Europe.

CLINICAL FEATURES: Among MSM, about 25% of the anorectal LGV infections are asymptomatic. Genital infections among MSM are rare; the ratio of genital vs. anorectal LGV infections is 1 in 15.

DIAGNOSIS: To diagnose LGV, a sample tested C. trachomatis positive with a commercial nucleic acid amplification test (NAAT) platform should be confirmed with an LGV discriminatory NAAT.

TREATMENT: Doxycycline 100 mg twice a day orally for 21 days is the recommended treatment for LGV. This same treatment is recommended also in asymptomatic patients and contacts of LGV patients. If another regimen is used, a test of cure (TOC) must be performed.