title: The association of herpes simplex virus type 2 (HSV-2), Haemophilus ducreyi, and syphilis with HIV infection in young men in northern Thailand.
abstract: To evaluate the association between sexually transmitted diseases that commonly may cause genital ulceration and prevalent and incident HIV infections, we conducted three case control studies in a cohort of 21-year-old male military conscripts in northern Thailand. The men were evaluated at baseline in 1991 and semiannually until their discharge 2 years later. Serologic evidence of infection with herpes simplex virus type 2 (HSV-2), Haemophilus ducreyi, and HIV were more frequent at baseline in 83 men with a history of genital ulcer than in 97 men without such a history. Seropositivity to H. ducreyi (odds ratio [OR] = 3.46), HSV-2 (OR = 3.83), and syphilis (OR = 1.53) were more common in HIV-positive than HIV-negative men. Men (N = 45) who seroconverted to HIV while in the military were more often seropositive for H. ducreyi and HSV-2 before HIV seroconversion and also were more likely to seroconvert to HSV-2 and H. ducreyi during the same interval as their HIV seroconversion compared with men who remained HIV-negative. These data suggest that HSV-2 and H. ducreyi may be both markers for high-risk sexual behavior and risk factors for HIV infection among young men in Thailand.
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology, The Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland 21205, USA.
authors.forename: K E
authors.initials: KE
authors.lastname: Nelson
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Eiumtrakul
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Celentano
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Maclean
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ronald
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Suprasert
authors.forename: D R
authors.initials: DR
authors.lastname: Hoover
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kuntolbutra
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Zenilman
mesh_terms: D017088:AIDS-Related Opportunistic Infections / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000382:microbiology / Q000821:virology; D000328:Adult; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002602:Chancroid / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000821:virology; D005837:Genitalia, Male / Q000382:microbiology / Q000821:virology; D006191:Haemophilus ducreyi / Q000302:isolation & purification; D006558:Herpes Genitalis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000382:microbiology; D018258:Herpesvirus 2, Human / Q000302:isolation & purification; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D015995:Prevalence; D012725:Sexual Behavior; D012883:Skin Ulcer / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology / Q000821:virology; D013587:Syphilis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000821:virology; D013785:Thailand / Q000453:epidemiology