PREVALENCE OF HIV AMONG WOMEN WITH VAGINAL DISCHARGE: RESULTS
Two-hundred-thirty patients were informed about the purpose of the study, and 90 (39.1%) refused to be included in the study. A total of 140 women were therefore studied. The mean age was 31.1 ±6.9 years (range 18-50 years) with the majority (83.0%) in the 20-39-year age group. The mean parity was 1.76±2.1 (range 0-8), and more than one-third (39.3%) were nulliparous. One-hundred-fourteen (81.4%) of the patients were married, and 25 (18.9%) were single. Nine (6.4%) of the 140 patients gave a history of having more than one sexual partner. Table 1 shows the prevalence of the various isolates identified in the vaginal discharge of the 140 patients studied. In 31 patients (22.1%), Candida spp. (predominantly Candida albicans) were isolated. This was followed by Gardnerella vaginalis, 26 (18.8%). Staphylococcal spp. were isolated in 17 (12.1%). E. coli, Trichomonas vaginalis, and Neisseria gonococ-cus were in 7.9%, 4.3%, and 1.4%, respectively. In 40 (28.6%), no organisms were isolated. Four of the 140 patients were HIV seropositive, giving an HlV-sero-prevalence rate of 2.9%. Table 2 shows the sociode-mographic characteristics of the patients who were HIV seropositive. All the four of them were married. The mean age was 36.8±5.2 years (range 29-40 years) with a mean parity of 3.3±1.7 (range 1-5). All of them were petty traders. They were all sexually active, one of them admitting to having three sexual partners at a time. Their vaginal discharge was thick and white in color; nonoffensive and Candida albicans organism was isolated in all of them. They all had pruritus vulvae. Four of 31 patients (12.9%) with candidiasis were HIV positive, while none of the 109 women without candidiasis were HIV positive. This was statistically significant (p=0.002). canadian antibiotics
Table1. Causative Organisms Identified in Vaginal Discharge
| Organism | Frequency | Percentage |
| Gardnerella vaginalis |
26 |
18.6 |
| Neisseria gonococcus |
2 |
1.4 |
| Trichomonas vaginalis |
6 |
4.3 |
| Gardnerella + Candida |
4 |
2.9 |
| Staphylococcal spp. |
17 |
12.1 |
| E. coli |
11 |
7.9 |
| Others |
6 |
4.3 |
| Candida spp. |
31 |
22.1 |
| Nil isolate |
40 |
28.6 |
| Total |
*145 |
|
| *Some patients had more than one type of infection. | ||
Table 2. Characteristics of Patients With HIV Positivity
|
Age (Years) |
Marital Status |
Parity |
Occupation |
Vaginal Infection |
|
39 |
Married |
1 |
Trading |
Candida |
|
29 |
Married |
4 |
Trading |
Candida |
|
39 |
Married |
5 |
Trading |
Candida |
|
40 |
Married |
3 |
Trading |
Candida |
