Danielle R Fastring1, Angela Amedee, Megan Gatski, Rebecca A Clark, Leandro A Mena, Judy Levison, Norine Schmidt, Janet Rice, Jeanette Gustat, Patricia Kissinger. 1. From the *Department of Epidemiology, Tulane School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, New Orleans, LA; †Department of Public Health, University of Southern Mississippi, Hattiesburg, MS; Departments of ‡Microbiology, Immunology, and Parasitology and §Internal Medicine, Louisiana State University, New Orleans, LA; ¶Department of Medicine Education Programs, University of Mississippi Medical Center, Jackson, MS; ∥Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX; and **Department of Biostatistics, Tulane School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, New Orleans, LA.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Trichomonas vaginalis (TV) and bacterial vaginosis (BV) are independently associated with increased risk of vaginal shedding in HIV-positive women. Because these 2 conditions commonly co-occur, this study was undertaken to examine the association between TV/BV co-occurrence and vaginal shedding of HIV-1 RNA. METHODS: HIV-positive women attending outpatient HIV clinics in 3 urban US cities underwent a clinical examination; were screened for TV, BV, Neisseria gonorrhoeae, Chlamydia trachomatis, and vulvovaginal candidiasis; and completed a behavioral survey. Women shedding HIV-1 RNA vaginally (≥50 copies/mL) were compared with women who had an undetectable (<50 copies/mL) vaginal viral load to determine if women who were TV positive and BV positive or had co-occurrence of TV/BV had higher odds of shedding vaginally when compared with women who did not have these conditions. RESULTS: In this sample of 373 HIV-positive women, 43.1% (n = 161) had co-occurrence of TV/BV and 33.2% (n = 124) were shedding HIV-1 RNA vaginally. The odds of shedding HIV vaginally in the presence of TV alone or BV alone and when TV/BV co-occurred were 4.07 (95% confidence interval [CI], 1.78-9.37), 5.65 (95% CI, 2.64-12.01), and 18.63 (95% CI, 6.71-51.72), respectively, when compared with women with no diagnosis of TV or BV, and after adjusting for age, antiretroviral therapy status, and plasma viral load. CONCLUSIONS: T. vaginalis and BV were independently and synergistically related to vaginal shedding of HIV-1 RNA. Screening and prompt treatment of these 2 conditions among HIV-positive women are important not only clinically but for HIV prevention, as well.
BACKGROUND:Trichomonas vaginalis (TV) and bacterial vaginosis (BV) are independently associated with increased risk of vaginal shedding in HIV-positive women. Because these 2 conditions commonly co-occur, this study was undertaken to examine the association between TV/BV co-occurrence and vaginal shedding of HIV-1 RNA. METHODS: HIV-positive women attending outpatient HIV clinics in 3 urban US cities underwent a clinical examination; were screened for TV, BV, Neisseria gonorrhoeae, Chlamydia trachomatis, and vulvovaginal candidiasis; and completed a behavioral survey. Women shedding HIV-1 RNA vaginally (≥50 copies/mL) were compared with women who had an undetectable (<50 copies/mL) vaginal viral load to determine if women who were TV positive and BV positive or had co-occurrence of TV/BV had higher odds of shedding vaginally when compared with women who did not have these conditions. RESULTS: In this sample of 373 HIV-positive women, 43.1% (n = 161) had co-occurrence of TV/BV and 33.2% (n = 124) were shedding HIV-1 RNA vaginally. The odds of shedding HIV vaginally in the presence of TV alone or BV alone and when TV/BV co-occurred were 4.07 (95% confidence interval [CI], 1.78-9.37), 5.65 (95% CI, 2.64-12.01), and 18.63 (95% CI, 6.71-51.72), respectively, when compared with women with no diagnosis of TV or BV, and after adjusting for age, antiretroviral therapy status, and plasma viral load. CONCLUSIONS:T. vaginalis and BV were independently and synergistically related to vaginal shedding of HIV-1 RNA. Screening and prompt treatment of these 2 conditions among HIV-positive women are important not only clinically but for HIV prevention, as well.
Authors: T N Lobão; G B Campos; N N Selis; A T Amorim; S G Souza; S S Mafra; L S Pereira; D B Dos Santos; T B Figueiredo; L M Marques; J Timenetsky Journal: Epidemiol Infect Date: 2017-06-22 Impact factor: 4.434
Authors: Maria L Alcaide; Maureen Chisembele; Emeria Malupande; Kristopher Arheart; Margaret Fischl; Deborah L Jones Journal: BMJ Open Date: 2015-11-09 Impact factor: 2.692