title: Bacterial vaginosis as a risk factor for high-grade cervical lesions and cancer in HIV-seropositive women.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess the effect of bacterial vaginosis (BV) on the risk of high-grade squamous intraepithelial lesions (HSIL) among HIV-seropositive women.
  
  
  METHODS
  A hospital-based prospective cohort study of HIV-seropositive women was conducted in Johannesburg, South Africa from January 2005 to September 2009. Multivariate log-binomial and Poisson regressions were used to estimate prevalence and rate ratios, respectively.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Among 1954 HIV-seropositive women, the baseline prevalence of HSIL was 17%. BV prevalence was high (54%) and showed no association with prevalence of HSIL (adjusted prevalence ratio, 1.12; 95% confidence intervals (CI), 0.92-1.35) nor with cervical lesion progression at follow-up visit (n=503) (adjusted rate ratio: 1.00; 95% CI, 0.65-1.53).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Among HIV-seropositive women, BV was not associated with an increased risk of HSIL or cervical lesion progression.
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology, Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, USA.
authors.forename: Sheri A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Denslow
authors.forename: Daniel J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Westreich
authors.forename: Cynthia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Firnhaber
authors.forename: Pam
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Michelow
authors.forename: Sophie
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Williams
authors.forename: Jennifer S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Smith
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D006679:HIV Seropositivity / Q000150:complications*; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D002583:Uterine Cervical Neoplasms / Q000382:microbiology*; D016585:Vaginosis, Bacterial / Q000150:complications* / Q000821:virology; D055815:Young Adult; D002578:Uterine Cervical Dysplasia / Q000382:microbiology*