Objective To determine if the metronidazole (MTZ) 2 gm single dose (recommended) is as effective as the 7 day 500 mg BID dose (alternative) for treatment of Trichomonas vaginalis (TV) among HIV+ women. Methods Phase IV randomized clinical trial; HIV+ women with culture confirmed TV were randomized to treatment arm: MTZ 2 gm single dose or MTZ 500 mg BID 7 day dose. All women were given 2 gm MTZ doses to deliver to their sex partners. Women were re-cultured for TV at a test-of-cure (TOC) visit occurring 6-12 days after treatment completion. TV-negative women at TOC were again re-cultured at a 3 month visit. Repeat TV infection rates were compared between arms. Results 270 HIV+/TV+ women were enrolled (mean age = 40 years, ± 9.4; 92.2% African-American). Treatment arms were similar with respect to age, race, CD4 count, viral load, ART status, site, and loss-to-follow up. Women in the 7 day arm had: lower repeat TV infection rates at TOC [8.5% (11/130) versus 16.8% (21/125) (R.R. 0.50, 95% CI=0.25, 1.00; P<0.05)], and at 3 months [11.0% (8/73) versus 24.1% (19/79) (R.R. 0.46, 95% CI=0.21, 0.98; P=0.03)] compared to the single dose arm. Conclusions The 7 day MTZ dose was more effective than the single dose for the treatment of TV among HIV+ women.

Trichomonas vaginalis (TV) and bacterial vaginosis (BV) were examined among human immunodeficiency virus+ women. The prevalence rates were 28.0% for TV, 51.4% for BV, and 17.5% for TV/BV co-infection. Among human immunodeficiency virus+/TV+ women, the rate of BV was 61.0%. Research is needed to examine how BV affects the clinical course and treatment of T. vaginalis.

T. vaginalis and BV were independently and synergistically related to vaginal shedding of HIV-1 RNA. Screening and prompt treatment of these 2 conditions among HIV-positive women are important not only clinically but for HIV prevention, as well.

Summary: This study examined the prevalence and factors associated with Mycoplasma genitalium (MG) infection among HIV-positive women and the association between MG and vaginal HIV-1 RNA shedding. HIV-positive women attending an outpatient clinic in New Orleans, Louisiana, USA, from 2002 to 2005 were examined for a battery of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and underwent a behavioural survey. A selected subset had a measurement of vaginal shedding analysed. Of the 324 HIV-positive women, 32 (9.9%) were infected with MG. HIV-positive women with MG were more likely to be co-infected with Neisseria gonorrhoeae and Chlamydia trachomatis and to have had ≥1 male sexual partners in the last month. In the subset (n = 164), no differences were found in the presence of detectable vaginal HIV-1 RNA between women infected and not infected with MG (30.8% versus 34.8% shedding; P = 0.69). While MG was a common co-STI in this sample of HIV-positive women, it was not associated with vaginal HIV shedding.

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