Adolescence (10-19 years) is a phase of physical growth and development accompanied by sexual maturation, often leading to intimate relationships. Adolescent HIV/AIDS is a separate epidemic and needs to be handled and managed separately from adult HIV. The adolescents can be subdivided into student, slum and street youth; street adolescents being most vulnerable to HIV/AIDS. Among various risk factors and situations for adolescents contracting HIV virus are adolescent sex workers, child trafficking, child labor, migrant population, childhood sexual abuse, coercive sex with an older person and biologic (immature reproductive tract) as well as psychological vulnerability. The most common mode of transmission is heterosexual, yet increasing number of perinatally infected children are entering adolescence. This is due to “bimodal progression” (rapid and slow progressors) among the vertically infected children. Clinically, the HIV infected adolescents present as physically stunted individuals, with delayed puberty and adrenarche. Mental illness and substance abuse are important co-morbidities. The disclosure and declaration of HIV status to self and family is challenging and guilt in sexually infected adolescents and tendency to blame parents if vertically affected need special consideration and proper counseling. Serodiscordance of the twins and difference in disease progression of seroconcordant twins are added causes of emotional trauma. Treatment related issues revolve around the when and what of initiation of ART; the choice of antiretrovirals and their dosages; issues related to long term ADRs; sense of disinhibition following ART commencement; adherence and resistance.
Viral infections in pregnancy are a major cause of morbidity and mortality for both mother and fetus. Viral STIs occur as surface infection and then gradually infect immunologically protected sites. Therefore, these are asymptomatic, hidden and hence underdiagnosed, persistent and difficult to treat. HSV, HPV, HBV, HIV and CMV (cytomegalovirus) are the common ones. Most of these are transmitted during intrapartum period. Proper screening, identification and treatment offered during prenatal period may help in preventing their complications. Twenty five percent of women with a history of genital herpes have an outbreak at some point during the last month of pregnancy. Acyclovir is the accepted efficacious and safe therapy for HSV in pregnancy. Globally, HPV infection is the most common sexually transmitted infection. Neonatal transmission can occur in the absence of clinically evident lesions. HPV 6 or 11 may lead to Juvenile Onset Recurrent Respiratory Papillomatosis (JORRP). TCA, liquid nitrogen, laser ablation or electrocautery can be used to treat external genital HPV lesions at any time during pregnancy. Cesarean section is recommended only if the lesions are obstructing the birth canal. Mother to child transmission (MTCT) in HIV accounts for 15–30% during pregnancy and delivery, and a further 5–20% of transmission occurs through breastfeeding. HBV infection during pregnancy does not alter the natural course of the disease. In women who are seropositive for both HBsAg and HBeAg, vertical transmission is approximately 90%. Pregnancy is not a contraindication for HBV vaccination. Cytomegalovirus (CMV) is the most common intrauterine infection. Cytomegalic inclusion disease (CID) is the most severe form of congenital CMV infection. Treatment is supportive.
Introduction:Vulvar lichen sclerosus (VLS) often remains undetected for years due to lack of awareness, as well as private nature of the disease. Advanced disease severely affects the quality of life and is associated with increased risk of vulvar squamous cell carcinoma (SCC). The aim of this study was to assess the usefulness of a physician-administered clinical scoring system for the clinical diagnosis and evaluation of VLS. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study using the clinical score developed by Günthert et al on the VLS patients.Materials and Methods:The study conducted was an observational cross-sectional study of 36 cases attending Dermatology OPD of Government Medical College with clinically proven and previously untreated VLS enrolled over a 1 year period. Cases were retrospectively subjected to evaluation by physician-administered clinical score based on 6 clinical features, viz. erosions, agglutination, hyperkeratosis, stenosis, fissures, and atrophy.Results:The average age of 36 clinically diagnosed VLS cases was 56.4 years. Most common clinical features were hyperkeratosis and atrophy found in 86.11% cases followed by erosions (75%) with one-third cases having grade 2 (severe) changes. One case had well-differentiated SCC clitoris at presentation. The mean physician-administered clinical score was 5.583, and 80.56% cases had clinical score ≥4 validating the clinical diagnosis.Discussion:Early diagnosis and prompt treatment is the key to prevent sequelae and complications of VLS. The physician-administered clinical score can be a useful tool to diagnose and later evaluate the response of treatment and prognosis of VLS cases.
Background:Heterosexual transmission of HIV among married couples is the commonest mode of transmission seen in India. Intramarital transmission is associated with several challenges which need to be further researched.Aim:To study level of seroconcordance and serodiscordance among HIV positive couples and factors affecting intramarital sexual transmission in terms of safe sexual practice, and the presence of Sexually transmitted infections (STI)/circumcision.Materials and Methods:Ninety-one monogamous married cohabiting HIV-positive cases (index cases) attending Department of Skin and Venereology, Medical College Baroda, from January 2009 to August 2009 were studied. Their spouses were tested for HIV. A structured proforma was used to study various factors like condom use, circumcision, and the presence of sexually transmitted infections.Results:Ninety-one monogamous married cohabiting HIV-positive cases were included in the study and considered as index cases. There were 51 males and 40 females. On testing their spouses for HIV, both the spouses were positive in 55 couples giving rise to 60% seroconcordance rate. Out of 55 seroconcordant couples, male spouses used condom in 16 cases (29%). Out of 36 serodiscordant couples 17 male spouses (47%) used condom. Evidence of STD was observed in one of the spouses in 6 out of 55 seroconcordant couples and 6 out of 36 serodiscordant couples. Thus, out of 91 couples one of the partners was having STI in 12 couples. Overall rate of circumcision was 12.2%.Conclusion:The prevention of transmission of HIV to the HIV negative partner is of paramount importance. Serodiscordant couples, specially the HIV negative female partner is at higher risk. Less acceptability of condoms among married couples may be one of the factors responsible in transmission. Further studies are needed to explore other risk factors associated with HIV transmission in discordant couples.
Pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) is an experimental approach to HIV prevention and consists of antiretroviral drugs to be taken before potential HIV exposure in order to reduce the risk of HIV infection and continued during periods of risk. An effective PrEP could provide an additional safety net to sexually active persons at risk, when combined with other prevention strategies. Women represent nearly 60% of adults infected with HIV and PrEP can be a female-controlled prevention method for women who are unable to negotiate condom use. Two antiretroviral nucleoside analog HIV-1 reverse transcriptase inhibitor drugs are currently under trial as PrEP drugs, namely tenofovirdisoproxilfumarate (TDF) alone and TDF in combination with emricitabine (FTC), to be taken as daily single dose oral drugs. There are 11 ongoing trials of ARV-based prevention in different at risk populations across the world. The iPrex trial showed that daily use of oral TDF/FTC by MSM resulted in 44% reduction in the incidence of HIV. This led to publication of interim guidance by CDC to use of PrEP by health providers for MSM. Few other trials are Bangkok Tenofovir Study, Partners PrEP Study, FEM-PrEP study, and VOICE (MTN-003) study. Future trials are being formulated for intermittent PrEP (iPrEP) where drugs are taken before and after sex, “stand-in dose” iPrEP, vaginal or rectal PrEP, etc. There are various issues/concerns with PrEP such as ADRs and resistance to TDF/FTC, adherence to drugs, acceptability, sexual disinhibition, use of PrEP as first line of defense for HIV without other prevention strategies, and cost. The PrEP has a potential to address unmet need in public health if delivered as a part of comprehensive toolkit of prevention services, including risk-reduction, correct and consistent use of condoms, and diagnosis and treatment of sexually transmitted infections.
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