Sexually Transmitted Infections among HIV-1-Discordant Couples
Open Access
- 14 December 2009
- journal article
- research article
- Published by Public Library of Science (PLoS) in PLOS ONE
- Vol. 4 (12), e8276
- https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0008276
Abstract
More new HIV-1 infections occur within stable HIV-1-discordant couples than in any other group in Africa, and sexually transmitted infections (STIs) may increase transmission risk among discordant couples, accounting for a large proportion of new HIV-1 infections. Understanding correlates of STIs among discordant couples will aid in optimizing interventions to prevent HIV-1 transmission in these couples. HIV-1-discordant couples in which HIV-1-infected partners were HSV-2-seropositive were tested for syphilis, chlamydia, gonorrhea, and trichomoniasis, and HIV-1-uninfected partners were tested for HSV-2. We assessed sociodemographic, behavioral, and biological correlates of a current STI. Of 416 couples enrolled, 16% were affected by a treatable STI, and among these both partners were infected in 17% of couples. A treatable STI was found in 46 (11%) females and 30 (7%) males. The most prevalent infections were trichomoniasis (5.9%) and syphilis (2.6%). Participants were 5.9-fold more likely to have an STI if their partner had an STI (P<0.01), and STIs were more common among those reporting any unprotected sex (OR = 2.43; P<0.01) and those with low education (OR = 3.00; P<0.01). Among HIV-1-uninfected participants with an HSV-2-seropositive partner, females were significantly more likely to be HSV-2-seropositive than males (78% versus 50%, P<0.01). Treatable STIs were common among HIV-1-discordant couples and the majority of couples affected by an STI were discordant for the STI, with relatively high HSV-2 discordance. Awareness of STI correlates and treatment of both partners may reduce HIV-1 transmission. ClinicalTrials.gov NCT00194519This publication has 49 references indexed in Scilit:
- Herpes simplex virus 2 serostatus and viral loads of HIV-1 in blood and semen as risk factors for HIV transmission among men who have sex with menAIDS, 2008
- Effect of aciclovir on HIV-1 acquisition in herpes simplex virus 2 seropositive women and men who have sex with men: a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled trialThe Lancet, 2008
- No HIV stage is dominant in driving the HIV epidemic in sub-Saharan AfricaAIDS, 2008
- Genital Herpes Has Played a More Important Role than Any Other Sexually Transmitted Infection in Driving HIV Prevalence in AfricaPLOS ONE, 2008
- Regional Differences in Prevalence of HIV-1 Discordance in Africa and Enrollment of HIV-1 Discordant Couples into an HIV-1 Prevention TrialPLOS ONE, 2008
- Couple-centred testing and counselling for HIV serodiscordant heterosexual couples in sub-Saharan AfricaReproductive Health Matters, 2008
- Promotion of couples' voluntary counselling and testing for HIV through influential networks in two African capital citiesBMC Public Health, 2007
- Rapid Antigen Testing Compares Favorably with Transcription-Mediated Amplification Assay for the Detection of Trichomonas vaginalis in Young WomenClinical Infectious Diseases, 2007
- Knowledge of Partners’ Genital Herpes Protects against Herpes Simplex Virus Type 2 AcquisitionThe Journal of Infectious Diseases, 2006
- Non-ulcerative sexually transmitted diseases as risk factors for HIV-1 transmission in womenAIDS, 1993