Assessment of syndromic management of curable sexually transmitted and reproductive tract infections among pregnant women: an observational cross-sectional study.

BACKGROUND: This study estimated the prevalence of curable sexually transmitted and reproductive tract infections (STIs/RTIs) among pregnant women attending antenatal care (ANC) in rural Zambia, evaluated the effectiveness of syndromic management of STIs/RTIs versus reference-standard laboratory diagnoses, and identified determinants of curable STIs/RTIs during pregnancy. METHODS: A total of 1086 pregnant women were enrolled at ANC booking, socio-demographic information and biological samples were collected, and the provision of syndromic management based care was documented. The Piot-Fransen model was used to evaluate the effectiveness of syndromic management versus etiological testing, and univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were used to identify determinants of STIs/RTIs. RESULTS: Participants had a mean age of 25.6 years and a mean gestational age of 22.0 weeks. Of 1084 women, 700 had at least one STI/RTI (64.6%; 95% confidence interval [CI], 61.7, 67.4). Only 10.2% of infected women received any treatment for a curable STI/RTI (excluding syphilis). Treatment was given to 0 of 56 women with chlamydia (prevalence 5.2%; 95% CI, 4.0, 6.6), 14.7% of participants with gonorrhoea (prevalence 3.1%; 95% CI, 2.2, 4.4), 7.8% of trichomoniasis positives (prevalence 24.8%; 95% CI, 22.3, 27.5) and 7.5% of women with bacterial vaginosis (prevalence 48.7%; 95% CI, 45.2, 51.2). An estimated 7.1% (95% CI, 5.6, 8.7) of participants had syphilis and received treatment. Women < 20 years old were more likely (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] = 5.01; 95% CI: 1.23, 19.44) to have gonorrhoea compared to women ≥30. The odds of trichomoniasis infection were highest among primigravidae (aOR = 2.40; 95% CI: 1.69, 3.40), decreasing with each subsequent pregnancy. Women 20 to 29 years old were more likely to be diagnosed with bacterial vaginosis compared to women ≥30 (aOR = 1.58; 95% CI: 1.19, 2.10). Women aged 20 to 29 and ≥ 30 years had higher odds of infection with syphilis, aOR = 3.96; 95% CI: 1.40, 11.20 and aOR = 3.29; 95% CI: 1.11, 9.74 respectively, compared to women under 20. CONCLUSIONS: Curable STIs/RTIs were common and the majority of cases were undetected and untreated. Alternative approaches are urgently needed in the ANC setting in rural Zambia.

Malarial Infection and Curable Sexually Transmitted and Reproductive Tract Infections Among Pregnant Women in a Rural District of Zambia.

Malarial infection and curable sexually transmitted and reproductive tract infections (STIs/RTIs) are important causes of adverse birth outcomes. Reducing the burden of these infections in pregnancy requires interventions that can be easily integrated into the antenatal care (ANC) package. However, efforts to integrate the control of malarial infection and curable STIs/RTIs in pregnancy have been hampered by a lack of evidence related to their coinfection. Thus, we investigated the prevalence of coinfection among pregnant women of rural Zambia. A prospective cohort study was conducted in Nchelenge District, Zambia, involving 1,086 first ANC attendees. We screened participants for peripheral malarial infection and curable STIs/RTIs (syphilis, Chlamydia, gonorrhea, trichomoniasis, and bacterial vaginosis), and collected relevant sociodemographic data at booking. Factors associated with malarial and STI/RTI coinfection were explored using univariate and multivariate regression models. Among participants with complete results (N = 1,071), 38.7% (95% confidence interval [CI] = 35.7-41.6) were coinfected with malaria parasites and at least one STI/RTI; 18.9% (95% CI = 16.5-21.2) were infected with malaria parasites only; 26.0% (95% CI = 23.5-28.8) were infected with at least one STI/RTI but no malaria parasites, and 16.4% (95% CI = 14.1-18.6) had no infection. Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected women had a higher risk of being coinfected than HIV-uninfected women (odds ratio [OR] = 3.59 [95% CI = 1.73-7.48], P < 0.001). The prevalence of malarial and STI/RTI coinfection was high in this population. An integrated approach to control malarial infection and STIs/RTIs is needed to reduce this dual burden in pregnancy.

Occurrence of Mycoplasmaspp. and Ureaplasmaspp. in genital specimens

Mycoplasmaspp. and Ureaplasmaspp. belong tohumans'genitourinary microbiota and sometimesare associated with infections of the genitourinarytract. The aim of this study was to evaluate the occurrence of Mycoplasmaspp. and Ureaplasmaspp. in genital specimens from patients of the 15thRegional de Saúde of ParanáState, Brazil, and to correlate the results with clinical and laboratory data.A retrospective cross-sectional study was conducted,based on the analysis of results of vaginal, endocervical, urine andurethral culture for mycoplasmas from patients attended in areference laboratory, from January 2009 to December 2016. We evaluated 2,475 results of culture for mycoplasmas. A total of 50.8% patients were positive for mycoplasmas. Of these, 76.8%had positive culture exclusively for Ureaplasmaspp. and 4.7% for Mycoplasmahominis. Both microorganisms were isolated in the microbiology culture of 18.5% of patients. Among the positive culture, 81.4% had significant concentrations.Bacterialvaginosis was the most common alteration observed in association with mycoplasmas.Thehigh positivity of cultures for mycoplasmas, especially Ureaplasmaspp. found in our study, highlightthe presence of these microorganisms in many of the genital tract disorders that can be sexually transmitted and, consequently, should not be neglected.

[Frequency of Gardnerella vaginalis vaginosis and its association with other pathogens causing genital infections in the female]. / Frecuencia de vaginosis producida por Gardnerella vaginalis y su asociación con otros patógenos causantes de infección genital en la mujer.

In order to determine the presence of unspecific vaginosis and their causes, 700 vaginal smears were obtained from patients assisting to the Clinical Laboratory of the Familiar Medicine Unit No. 28 "Gabriel Mancera" of the Instituto Mexicano del Seguro Social, during 6 months. The patients age was from 18 to 55 years old. To establish the infectious etiology of these pathologies the vaginal smears were observed freshly and stained by Gram's method. Specific test for differentiate Gardnerella vaginalis and Candida albicans were also performed. From 700 vaginal smears, 160 were positive to Candida albicans (22.86%); 150 to Gardnerella vaginalis (21.43%); and 14 to Trichomonas vaginalis (2%). The most frequent association were Candida albicans with Gardnerella vaginalis in 14 women, who 12 had a reduced number of pregnancy, and 7 had only one pregnancy (58.3%). The age groups most affected were between 18 and 35 years old, corresponding to the reproductive stage of the woman. Gardnerella vaginalis predominated in the 30-35 years old group.

Prevalence of vulvovaginitis and bacterial vaginosis in patients with koilocytosis.

CONTEXT AND OBJECTIVE: Empirical discussion regarding an association between koilocytosis and vulvovaginitis often occurs. Thus, the objective of this study was to assess the prevalence of microorganisms associated with bacterial vaginosis and vulvovaginitis in women with and without koilocytosis. DESIGN AND SETTING: Analytical cross-sectional study including two cohorts of women (with and without koilocytosis) who attended a cancer hospital in the city of Goiânia, state of Goiás. METHODS: A total of 102 patients entered the study. The whiff test, Gram and Papanicolaou staining and bacterial and fungal culturing were performed. The results were observed using univariate analysis. The odds ratio and confidence interval (CI) of the variables were calculated; P-values < 0.05 were considered significant. RESULTS: The prevalence of bacterial colonization was similar in patients with and without koilocytosis. The odds ratio for candidiasis was 1.43 (CI 1.05-1.95) and the odds ratio for trichomoniasis was 1.78 (CI 1.49-2.12), in patients with koilocytosis. CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence of candidiasis and trichomoniasis seems to be higher in patients with koilocytosis.

Is bacterial vaginosis associated with cervical intraepithelial neoplasia?

Previous research has produced conflicting results regarding the association of bacterial vaginosis (BV) and cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN). These studies have been weakened in their conclusions mainly by failure to adequately control for the presence of sexually transmitted infections (STIs). One proposed mechanism suggesting that carcinogenic nitrosamines acting either independently or via human papilloma virus (HPV) has not been fully tested previously. We undertook a prospective, case-controlled, cross-sectional study where the presence of STIs, in particular human papillomavirus (HPV) which is known to be associated with the development of CIN, was controlled for. Women with BV were not found to have CIN more frequently than women with normal vaginal flora and the quantities of nitrosamines produced by women with BV did not differ significantly from women without BV. We thus found that BV is not associated with CIN.

Prevalence of vulvovaginitis and bacterial vaginosis in patients with koilocytosis / Prevalência de vulvovaginte e vaginose bacteriana em pacientes com coilocitose

CONTEXT AND OBJECTIVE: Empirical discussion regarding an association between koilocytosis and vulvovaginitis often occurs. Thus, the objective of this study was to assess the prevalence of microorganisms associated with bacterial vaginosis and vulvovaginitis in women with and without koilocytosis. DESIGN AND SETTING: Analytical cross-sectional study including two cohorts of women (with and without koilocytosis) who attended a cancer hospital in the city of Goiânia, state of Goiás. METHODS: A total of 102 patients entered the study. The whiff test, Gram and Papanicolaou staining and bacterial and fungal culturing were performed. The results were observed using univariate analysis. The odds ratio and confidence interval (CI) of the variables were calculated; P-values < 0.05 were considered significant. RESULTS: The prevalence of bacterial colonization was similar in patients with and without koilocytosis. The odds ratio for candidiasis was 1.43 (CI 1.05-1.95) and the odds ratio for trichomoniasis was 1.78 (CI 1.49-2.12), in patients with koilocytosis. CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence of candidiasis and trichomoniasis seems to be higher in patients with koilocytosis.

CONTEXTO E OBJETIVO: Existe uma discussão empírica sobre a associação de coilocitose e vulvovaginite. Assim, o objetivo deste estudo foi saber a prevalência de microorganismos associados à vaginose bacteriana e à vulvovaginite em mulheres com e sem coilocitose. DESENHO E LOCAL: Estudo transversal analítico, que incluiu duas coortes de mulheres, com e sem coilocitose, atendidas em um hospital de referência de câncer, na cidade de Goiânia, estado de Goiás. MÉTODOS: Um total de 102 pacientes entrou no estudo. Foram feitos os testes whiff, Gram e Papanicolaou, além de cultura para bactérias e fungos. Utilizou-se análise univariada, com o cálculo do risco relativo e do intervalo de confiança (IC). Considerou-se significativo quando valor de P < 0,05. RESULTADOS: A prevalência de colonização bacteriana foi similar em pacientes com e sem coilocitose. O risco relativo para candidíase observado em mulheres com coilocitose foi de 1,43 (IC 1,05-1,95) e, para tricomoníase, 1,78 (IC 1,49-2,12). CONCLUSÃO: A prevalência de candidíase e de tricomoníase parece ser maior nas pacientes com coilocitose.