title: Incidence and risk factors for sexually transmitted infections among women in an Alabama HIV clinic.
abstract: The objectives of this study were to assess the prevalence and incidence of curable sexually transmitted infections (STI), i.e., gonorrhea, chlamydial infection, or trichomoniasis, in a cohort of HIV-infected women. The study population was derived from women seeking primary care at an outpatient university HIV clinic who were participants in a women's natural history study. Enrollees (n = 225) were predominantly African-American, heterosexually infected, with mean age 35 years. Mean entry CD4+ T cell count was 405 cells/mm3. Over 6% were STI positive at initial screening. Subsequently, the combined curable STI incidence was 4.82/1000 woman-months over a median of 33 months of observation. Of 36 incident STIs, trichomoniasis was most common (n = 32). Predictors for acquisition of a curable STI included absenteeism at scheduled clinic appointments, RR = 1.99 (1.28, 3.08), and a higher CD4+ T cell count, RR = 1.15 (1.0028, 1.3115) for 100 cells. Interventions to prevent curable STI in HIV-infected women are warranted in primary care settings.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, the University of Alabama at Birmingham, Alabama 35294, USA.
authors.forename: Cheryl-Ann
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Monteiro
authors.forename: Laura H
authors.initials: LH
authors.lastname: Bachmann
authors.forename: Renee A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Desmond
authors.forename: Kathleen E
authors.initials: KE
authors.lastname: Squires
authors.forename: Sten H
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Vermund
authors.forename: Edward W
authors.initials: EW
authors.lastname: Hook
authors.forename: Jane R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Schwebke
authors.forename: Craig J
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Hoesley
mesh_terms: D000041:Absenteeism; D000328:Adult; D000407:Alabama / Q000453:epidemiology; D018791:CD4 Lymphocyte Count; D002690:Chlamydia Infections / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D006069:Gonorrhea / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000150:complications*; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors; D012749:Sexually Transmitted Diseases / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology*; D014245:Trichomonas Infections / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology