Collecting the essence of man: semen collection for HIV transmission studies in sub-Saharan Africa

Abstract

We conducted a study at the Central Hospital in Lilongwe, Malawi, from January 2000 to June 2001 to better understand the relation between trichomonas and HIV-1 viral load.⁴ Men attending STI and dermatology clinics consented and were enrolled. All men with Trichomonas vaginalis and a comparison group of HIV positive men attending the dermatology clinic without trichomonas or STI symptoms were asked to provide semen. Both male and female clinic staff asked men to donate semen at the baseline visit. If subjects agreed to provide semen they were given a wide mouthed specimen container, escorted to a designated toilet near the examination rooms, and asked to provide semen by masturbation. To determine independent predictors of collection, a multivariate logistic regression model was created utilising those factors associated (p ⩽0.10) with semen collection on bivariate analyses. Eight randomly selected subjects who had been asked to donate semen were invited to participate in a focus group about semen collection.