Screening for Sexually Transmitted Diseases in Human Immunodeficiency Virus-Positive Patients in Peru Reveals an Absence of Chlamydia trachomatis and Identifies Trichomonas vaginalis in Pharyngeal Specimens

• Published in: Clinical infectious diseases 2001-03, Vol.32 (5), p.808-814
• Main Authors: Press, Natasha, Chavez, Victor Manuel, Ticona, Eduardo, Calderon, Maritza, Apolinario, Ines Salas, Culotta, Anna, Arevalo, Jorge, Gilman, Robert H.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adolescent; Adult; Animals; Antibiotics; Biological and medical sciences; Chlamydia Infections - diagnosis; Chlamydia Infections - epidemiology; Chlamydia trachomatis; Chlamydia trachomatis - isolation & purification; Female; Gonorrhea; HIV; HIV Infections - complications; HIV/AIDS; Human immunodeficiency virus 1; Human viral diseases; Humans; Infections; Infectious diseases; Male; Mass Screening; Medical sciences; Men; Middle Aged; Peru; Pharynx - parasitology; Polymerase chain reaction; Polymerase Chain Reaction - methods; Population Surveillance; Sexually transmitted diseases; Sexually Transmitted Diseases - diagnosis; Sexually Transmitted Diseases - epidemiology; Trichomonas Infections - diagnosis; Trichomonas Infections - epidemiology; Trichomonas vaginalis; Trichomonas vaginalis - isolation & purification; Tropical medicine; Urethritis; Urine; Uterine cervicitis; Viral diseases; Viral diseases of the lymphoid tissue and the blood. Aids
• ISSN: 1058-4838; 1537-6591
• DOI: 10.1086/319202

To determine the prevalence of sexually transmitted diseases (STDs), we screened 107 human immunodeficiency virus-positive patients in Peru, where the virus is predominantly sexually transmitted. Patients had multiple risk factors for STDs, and 38% of women and 50% of men had at least 1 STD (gonorrhea, trichomoniasis, herpes simplex, anogenital warts, or syphilis seropositivity). No chlamydial infection was detected, even though infection rates in the general population are 5%–12%. Patients receiving trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole(TMP-SMZ) for prophylaxis or treatment of respiratory infections were least likely to have cervicitis and/or urethritis (odds ratio, 0.37; 95% confidence interval, 0.15–0.89). Although not optimal treatment, administration of TMP-SMZ is effective against chlamydial infection. We speculate that the use of concomitant medications, such as TMP-SMZ, may be inadvertently preventing chlamydial infection in this population. Another finding was the presence of Trichomonas vaginalis in pharyngeal specimens of 3 men with histories of orogenital activity. This has not been previously reported and requires further study.