Genital herpes and HIV status: a clinical study

Abstract

<p class="abstract"><strong>Background:</strong> Genital herpes (GH) is a sexually transmitted infection (STI) increases risk of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection. Some risk factors like age, sex, previous genital ulcerative disease (GUD), number of sex partners and clinical presentations like number and size of erosions, number of episodes, inter-episode duration, healing period with acyclovir & co-STDs are studied with reference to HIV status<span lang="EN-IN">.</span></p><p class="abstract"><strong>Methods:</strong> This is a longitudinal, observational study comparing 25 patients each in HIV positive and negative groups of GH between 15-60 years of age in both genders. Chi square test (or Fisher’s exact test) for nominal data and ‘t’ test for continuous data was used in case of association. Mann Whitney U test was used for comparison of mean ranks and median.<strong></strong></p><p class="abstract"><strong>Results:</strong> Adolescents were 18%. HIV positivity was significantly associated with age group above 45 years, multiple sex partners, average number of episodes & the duration between them and number of erosions (p <0.05). Healing period with acyclovir in HIV positive patients was significantly longer than in HIV negative patients. Secondary syphilis a co-STD had significant association with HIV positivity. Though previous GUD alone was not associated with HIV positivity significantly; however GUD in patients with multiple sexual partners showed significant association with HIV<span lang="EN-IN">. </span></p><p class="abstract"><strong>Conclusions:</strong> High proportion of adolescents amongst GH patients is notable. Adolescents & older patients above 45 years should not be neglected in STD & HIV awareness. Risk factors must be interviewed with patients. Clinical parameters & risk factors, differs with HIV status<span lang="EN-IN">.</span></p><p> </p>