Article Text
Abstract
Background STIs facilitate HIV transmission through direct and biological mechanisms. Early detection and treatment of STI can be an addition to the HIV prevention strategies.
Objectives Our goal was to determine the prevalence of Trichomonas vaginalis (TV) and its associated factors among HIV/AIDS women attending an AIDS clinic in Manaus, Amazonas, Brazil.
Methods Cross-sectional study. Women attending an AIDS clinic in Manaus between March and December 2010 for gynaecological examination were invited to participate. Enrolled patients answered a face-to-face interview including demographic, behavioural and clinical data. They also underwent a gynaecological evaluation and cervical scrape samples were collected for wet mount, Gram stain, culture and cytological analysis. A blood sample was obtained to determine TCD4+ lymphocytes and viral load.
Results A total of 341(91.2%) women participated in the study. The prevalence of TV was 4.1%(CI95%:2.0%–6.2%)]. Median age was 32 (interquartile range (IQR): 27–38) years and median of education was 9.0 (IQR 4–11) years of schooling. A total of 165 (53.2%) HIV women were classified as patients with AIDS. In multivariate analyses, squamous intraepithelial lesions in cytology [OR = 2.46 (CI95%:1.31–4.63, p = 0.005)] and reporting anal sex [OR = 3.62 (CI95%:1.08–12.19, p = 0.037)], were associated with TV.
Conclusions These results highlight HIV-infected women should be screened for TV. The control of this infection may have an impact on preventing reproductive complications among these women.
- Amazonas
- HIV/IDS
- Trichomonas vaginalis