title: Associations between intravaginal practices and bacterial vaginosis in Kenyan female sex workers without symptoms of vaginal infections.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Bacterial vaginosis (BV) is highly prevalent among African women and has been associated with adverse pregnancy outcomes, sexually transmitted diseases, and HIV-1.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The goal of this study was to analyze the relationship among intravaginal practices, bathing, and BV.
  
  
  METHODS
  The authors conducted a cross-sectional study of HIV-1-seronegative Kenyan female sex workers without symptoms of vaginal infections.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of 237 women enrolled, 206 (87%) reported vaginal washing using either a finger or cloth. Increasing frequency of vaginal washing was associated with a higher likelihood of BV (chi(2) test for trend, P = 0.05). In multivariate analysis, vaginal lubrication with petroleum jelly (odds ratio [OR] = 2.8, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.4-5.6), lubrication with saliva (OR = 2.3, 95% CI = 1.1-4.8), and bathing less than the median for the cohort (14 times/week; OR = 4.6, 95% CI = 1.2-17.5) were associated with a significantly higher likelihood of BV.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Modification of intravaginal and general hygiene practices should be evaluated as potential strategies for reducing the risk of BV.
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA. wisal@u.washington.edu
authors.forename: Wisal M
authors.initials: WM
authors.lastname: Hassan
authors.forename: Ludo
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Lavreys
authors.forename: Vrasha
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Chohan
authors.forename: Barbra A
authors.initials: BA
authors.lastname: Richardson
authors.forename: Kishorchandra
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Mandaliya
authors.forename: Jeckoniah O
authors.initials: JO
authors.lastname: Ndinya-Achola
authors.forename: James
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kiarie
authors.forename: Walter
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Jaoko
authors.forename: King K
authors.initials: KK
authors.lastname: Holmes
authors.forename: R Scott
authors.initials: RS
authors.lastname: McClelland
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006920:Hygiene; D007630:Kenya / Q000453:epidemiology; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors; D011477:Sex Work / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012725:Sexual Behavior; D016585:Vaginosis, Bacterial / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology / Q000517:prevention & control*