title: Non-sexual transmission of Trichomonas vaginalis in adolescent girls attending school in Ndola, Zambia.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To identify risk factors for trichomoniasis among young women in Ndola, Zambia.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study was a cross-sectional study among adolescent girls aged 13-16 years in Ndola, Zambia. Study participants were recruited from schools in selected administrative areas that represented the different socio-economic strata in town. Consenting participants were interviewed about their socio-demographic characteristics; sexual behaviour; and hygiene practices. Self-administered vaginal swabs were tested for Trichomonas vaginalis. HSV-2 antibodies were determined on serum to validate the self-reported sexual activity.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 460 girls participated in the study. The overall prevalence of trichomoniasis was 27.1%, 33.9% among girls who reported that they had ever had sex and 24.7% among virgins. In multivariate analysis the only statistically significant risk factor for trichomoniasis was inconsistent use of soap. For the virgins, none of the risk factors was significantly associated with trichomoniasis, but the association with use of soap (not always versus always) and type of toilet used (pit latrine/bush versus flush toilet) was of borderline significance.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We found a high prevalence of trichomoniasis in girls in Ndola who reported that they had never had sex. We postulate that the high prevalence of trichomoniasis in virgins in Ndola is due to non-sexual transmission of trichomoniasis via shared bathing water and inconsistent use of soap.
authors.affiliation: HIV/STI Reference Laboratory, Institute of Tropical Medicine, Antwerp, Belgium. tcrucitti@itg.be
authors.forename: Tania
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Crucitti
authors.forename: Vicky
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Jespers
authors.forename: Chanda
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Mulenga
authors.forename: Shepherd
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Khondowe
authors.forename: Judith
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Vandepitte
authors.forename: Anne
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Buvé
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D001494:Baths / Q000009:adverse effects; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003625:Data Collection; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006920:Hygiene / Q000592:standards*; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors; D012574:Schools; D012746:Sexual Abstinence; D012915:Soaps; D014247:Trichomonas Vaginitis / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000635:transmission*; D015024:Zambia / Q000453:epidemiology
chemical_list: D012915:Soaps