A study of HIV/STD infections amongst commercial sex workers in Kolkata. (India) Part-IV laboratory investigation of STD and HIV infections.
Out of 867 sex workers examined during 1998-2000 from the five important red light areas of Kolkata, 26.18%(227) were suffering from active syphilitic infection having positive VDRL test with titre 1/8 and above. Vaginal smear for gram staining was collected from all sex workers, and found positive for active gonorrhoeal infection in 41.8% (362). Culture positivity for gonorrheal infection was 34.14% (296). Sex workers were also having other STD infection, 23.64% (205) Trichomonas infection, 13.26% (115) Candidiasis, 8.77% (76), Gardenella and 3.0% (26) Chanchroid for which vaginal samples were found positive. HIV sero-positivity was found to be 13.2% (115) out of 867 blood samples examined from all sex workers under study. There were 0.34% (3) sex workers who were also positive for HIV II infection along with HIV-I infection. A case of HIV II alone was not detected in any of the sex workers. Around 49.6% (430) knew that STD/HIV can be prevented by use of condom. However, condom was used by only 6.57% (57) sex workers.
Pal
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Department of Microbiology, All India Institute of Hygiene & Public Health, 110 C.R. Avenue Kolkata-700-073.
Raut
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DK
Das
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A
D002602:Chancroid / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D006069:Gonorrhea / Q000453:epidemiology; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000453:epidemiology*; D006801:Humans; D007194:India / Q000453:epidemiology; D015995:Prevalence; D011477:Sex Work; D012749:Sexually Transmitted Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology*; D013587:Syphilis / Q000453:epidemiology