title: Genital tract infections among HIV-infected pregnant women in Malawi, Tanzania and Zambia.
abstract: The aim of this study was to compare the prevalence and factors associated with genital tract infections among HIV-infected pregnant women from African sites. Participants were recruited from Blantyre and Lilongwe, Malawi; Dar es Salaam, Tanzania; and Lusaka, Zambia. Genital tract infections were assessed at baseline. Of 2627 eligible women enrolled, 2292 were HIV-infected. Of these, 47.8% had bacterial vaginosis (BV), 22.4% had vaginal candidiasis, 18.8% had trichomoniasis, 8.5% had genital warts, 2.6% had chlamydia infection, 2.2% had genital ulcers and 1.7% had gonorrhoea. The main factors associated with genital tract infections included genital warts (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] 1.8, 95% CI 1.2-2.7), genital ulcers (AOR 2.4, 95% CI 1.2-5.1) and abnormal vaginal discharge (AOR 2.5, 95% CI 1.9-3.3) for trichomoniasis. BV was the most common genital tract infection followed by candidiasis and trichomoniasis. Differences in burdens and risk factors call for enhanced interventions for identification of genital tract infections among HIV-infected women.
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Muhimbili University of Health and Allied Sciences, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. aboudsaid@yahoo.com
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Aboud
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Msamanga
authors.forename: J S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Read
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mwatha
authors.forename: Y Q
authors.initials: YQ
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Potter
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Valentine
authors.forename: U
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Sharma
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Hoffmann
authors.forename: T E
authors.initials: TE
authors.lastname: Taha
authors.forename: R L
authors.initials: RL
authors.lastname: Goldenberg
authors.forename: W W
authors.initials: WW
authors.lastname: Fawzi
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D005831:Genital Diseases, Female / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000150:complications* / Q000821:virology; D006801:Humans; D008295:Malawi / Q000453:epidemiology; D011247:Pregnancy; D011251:Pregnancy Complications, Infectious / Q000821:virology*; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors; D013636:Tanzania / Q000453:epidemiology; D055815:Young Adult; D015024:Zambia / Q000453:epidemiology