title: Co-infection of human immunodeficiency virus and sexually transmitted infections in circumcised and uncircumcised cases in India.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS), is now one of the greatest challenges facing the world. Sexual transmission is the primary route of human immunodeficiency virus infection worldwide. Male circumcision is being considered as strategy to reduce the burden of HIV/AIDS.
  
  
  METHODS
  The present study was conducted on 200 HIV positive clients. They were screened for bacterial causes of STIs (Chlamydia trachomatis, Neisseria gonorrhoeae, Treponema pallidum and Gardnerella vaginalis).
  
  
  RESULTS
  There were 138 males and 62 females. The males were examined and the circumcision status was observed. In the females, circumcision status of their male partners was observed. The coinfection of HIV and STIs in circumcised and uncircumcised cases was found out. Diagnosis was made using standard tests. A total of 23% cases were diagnosed to have HIV -STI coinfection. Most common diagnosed diseases were Chlamydia (10%), Gonorrhoea (9%), Bacterial Vaginosis (4.8%) and Syphilis (2.5%). The coinfection rate in uncircumcised cases was found to be higher (29.2% in males and 39.2% in females) as compared to the circumcised cases (14.2% in males and 13.6% in females).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The present study suggests that circumcision is a protective factor for acquisition of STIs in HIV positive clients but other factors like sexual behaviours, use of barrier contraceptives, drug abuse etc also play a role.
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology, Lady Hardinge Medical College, New Delhi, India.
authors.forename: Charu
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Nayyar
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, Lady Hardinge Medical College, New Delhi, India.
authors.forename: Ram
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Chander
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology, Lady Hardinge Medical College, New Delhi, India.
authors.forename: Poonam
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Gupta
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology, Lady Hardinge Medical College, New Delhi, India.
authors.forename: B L
authors.initials: BL
authors.lastname: Sherwal
keywords: Bacterial vaginosis; circumcision; human immunodeficiency virus; sexually transmitted infections; syphilis