Kerani Roxanne P, Golden Matthew R, Whittington William L H, Handsfield H Hunter, Hogben Matthew, Holmes King K
Center for AIDS and STD, Harborview Medical Center, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington 98104, USA.
Sex Transm Dis. 2003 Oct;30(10):742-9. doi: 10.1097/01.OLQ.0000092351.75454.41.
A study of heterosexuals with gonorrhea and/or chlamydial infection in King County, Washington, found that 5.2% of study participants had both local and geographically distant sex partners in the 60 days before diagnosis. Individuals who served as spatial bridges were of higher socioeconomic status and older than other patients.
Sexual mixing between distant geographic areas (spatial bridging) is important in the spread of antimicrobial resistance and new sexually transmitted disease pathogens.
The goal was to define the extent of sexual mixing between persons with gonorrhea or chlamydial infection in King County, Washington, and persons outside the Seattle area, and to identify characteristics of persons and partnerships associated with spatial bridging.
Patients contacted for purposes of partner notification were interviewed regarding demographics, sexual behavior, and the characteristics of their sex partners.
Of 2912 participants, 150 (5.2%) were spatial bridgers. Bridgers were of higher socioeconomic status than nonbridgers and more often reported concurrent partnerships. Over a 39-month period, bridgers and potential bridgers linked King County with 35 states and 13 foreign countries.
Spatial bridging could represent an important channel of transmission between geographic areas. These results highlight the need for linkage of prevention efforts across geographic boundaries.
对华盛顿州金县患有淋病和/或衣原体感染的异性恋者进行的一项研究发现，5.2%的研究参与者在诊断前60天内既有本地性伴侣，也有地理上距离较远的性伴侣。充当空间桥梁的个体社会经济地位较高，年龄比其他患者大。
遥远地理区域之间的性混合（空间桥梁作用）在抗菌药物耐药性和新的性传播疾病病原体传播中很重要。
目的是确定华盛顿州金县淋病或衣原体感染患者与西雅图地区以外人员之间的性混合程度，并确定与空间桥梁作用相关的人员和性伴侣关系特征。
为伴侣通知目的而联系的患者接受了关于人口统计学、性行为及其性伴侣特征的访谈。
在2912名参与者中，150人（5.2%）是空间桥梁者。桥梁者的社会经济地位高于非桥梁者，并且更常报告有同时存在的性伴侣关系。在39个月的时间里，桥梁者和潜在桥梁者将金县与35个州和13个外国联系起来。
空间桥梁作用可能是地理区域之间的一个重要传播渠道。这些结果凸显了跨地理边界开展预防工作联动的必要性。
