Trichomonas vaginalis is associated with pelvic inflammatory disease in women infected with human immunodeficiency virus

Prashini Moodley, David Wilkinson, Cathy Connolly, Jack Moodley, A. Willem Sturm

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239 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

We assessed the association between the causative agents of vaginal discharge and pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) among women attending a rural sexually transmitted disease clinic in South Africa; the role played by coinfection with human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) was studied. Vaginal and cervical specimens were obtained to detect Neisseria gonorrhoeae, Chlamydia trachomatis, Trichomonas vaginalis, and bacterial vaginosis. HIV- 1 infection was established by use of serum antibody tests. A total of 696 women with vaginal discharge were recruited, 119 of whom had clinical PID. Patients with trichomoniasis had a significantly higher risk of PID than did women without trichomoniasis (P = .03). PID was not associated with any of the other pathogens. When the patients were stratified according to HIV-1 status, the risk of PID in HIV-1-infected patients with T. vaginalis increased significantly (P = .002); no association was found in patients without HIV-1. T. vaginalis infection of the lower genital tract is associated with a clinical diagnosis of PID in HIV-1-infected women.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)519-522
Number of pages4
JournalClinical Infectious Diseases
Volume34
Issue number4
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 15 Feb 2002
Externally publishedYes

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