Intravaginal Practices and Prevalence of Sexual and Reproductive Tract Infections Among Women in Rural Malawi

Esber, Allahna; Rao, Nisha; Norris, Alison; Reese, Patricia Carr; Kandodo, Jonathan; Nampandeni, Patrick; Jumbe, Enock; Turner, Abigail Norris

doi:10.1097/olq.0000000000000531

Cited by 11 publications

(4 citation statements)

References 27 publications

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“…Child Legacy International serves a catchment area of 68 rural villages (~18 000 people) in the central region of Malawi. 13 , 14 , 15 , 16 , 17 Participants were limited to patients suspected of having active pulmonary tuberculosis disease based on clinical symptoms (i.e. fever, chills, night sweats, shortness of breath, chest pain, cough ≥ 2 weeks, loss of weight, fatigue), who were ≥ 18 years of age, capable of providing informed written consent, and able to provide sputum.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Low-cost diagnostic test for susceptible and drug-resistant tuberculosis in rural Malawi

Zhang

Jumbe

Krysiak³

et al. 2018

Afr. J. Lab. Med.

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BackgroundRural settings where molecular tuberculosis diagnostics are not currently available need easy-to-use tests that do not require additional processing or equipment. While acid-fast bacilli (AFB) smear is the most common and often only tuberculosis diagnosis test performed in rural settings, it is labour intensive, has less-than-ideal sensitivity, and cannot assess tuberculosis drug susceptibility patterns.ObjectiveThe objective of this study was to determine the feasibility of a multidrug-resistant (MDR) or extensively drug-resistant (XDR)-tuberculosis coloured agar-based culture test (tuberculosis CX-test), which can detect Mycobacterium tuberculosis growth and evaluate for drug susceptibility to isoniazid, rifampicin and a fluoroquinolone (i.e. ciprofloxacin) in approximately 14 days.MethodIn this study, 101 participants were enrolled who presented to a rural health clinic in central Malawi. They were suspected of having active pulmonary tuberculosis. Participants provided demographic and clinical data and submitted sputum samples for tuberculosis testing using the AFB smear and tuberculosis CX-test.ResultsThe results showed a high level of concordance between the AFB smear (12 positive) and tuberculosis CX-test (13 positive); only one sample presented discordant results, with the molecular GeneXpert MTB/RIF® test confirming the tuberculosis CX-test results. The average time to a positive tuberculosis CX-test was 10 days. Of the positive samples, the tuberculosis CX-test detected no cases of drug resistance, which was later confirmed by the GeneXpert MTB/RIF®.ConclusionThese findings demonstrate that the tuberculosis CX-test could be a reliable low-cost diagnostic method for active pulmonary tuberculosis in high tuberculosis burden rural areas.

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Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Low-cost diagnostic test for susceptible and drug-resistant tuberculosis in rural Malawi

Zhang

Jumbe

Krysiak³

et al. 2018

Afr. J. Lab. Med.

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“…Table 1 , Table 2 and Table 3 summarise studies assessing the association between vaginal douching and adverse health outcomes including BV, vaginal dysbiosis, and PID. In most of the literature, significant associations between vaginal douching and BV have been reported; however, it is important to note that some studies also report no significant associations [ 148 , 149 , 150 , 151 ].…”

Section: Impact Of Feminine Hygiene Products and Practices On The Vag...mentioning

confidence: 99%

The Vaginal Microbiome in Health and Disease—What Role Do Common Intimate Hygiene Practices Play?

2023

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The vaginal microbiome is a dynamic, sensitive microenvironment. The hallmark of a ‘healthy’ vaginal microbiome is currently believed to be one dominated by Lactobacillus spp., which acidifies the vaginal environment and help to protect against invading pathogens. However, a ‘normal’ microbiome is often difficult, if not impossible, to characterise given that it varies in response to numerous variables, including pregnancy, the menstrual cycle, contraceptive use, diet, ethnicity, and stress. A Lactobacillus-depleted microbiome has been linked to a variety of adverse vaginal health outcomes, including preterm birth (PTB), bacterial vaginosis (BV), and increased risk of sexually transmitted infections. The latter two of these have also been associated with feminine intimate hygiene practices, many of which are practised without any evidence of health benefits. The most extensively studied practice is vaginal douching, which is known to cause vaginal dysbiosis, predisposing women to BV, pelvic inflammatory disease, and PTB. However, little is known of the impact that intimate hygiene practices and associated products have on the vaginal microbiome. This review aims to outline the major factors influencing the vaginal microbiome and common vaginal infections, as well as to summarise current research surrounding the impact of hygiene products and practices on the vaginal microbiome.

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“…In 2014 in Tanzania and Uganda, out of 101 women in each country, 96.3% and 100% reported having performed at least one practice, respectively [4]. In Malawi, 95% of 200 women used at least one practice in 2016 [5]. Various products are used in these practices.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Study of Harmful Vaginal Practices of Women in the Municipality of Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso

Dori,

Porgo,

Zamané

et al. 2024

Health

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Introduction: Vaginal practices include washing, altering, cutting, cleaning, enhancing, drying, tightening, lubricating, or loosening of the vagina, labia, clitoris, or hymen. This study aimed to investigate the different vaginal practices of women using non-pharmaceutical products. Methodology: This was a cross-sectional study with descriptive and analytical purposes that took place from January 15 to April 23, 2023, in the four largest markets in the municipality of Ouagadougou. This was performed using the data collection sheet in the KoboCollect application. Epi info 7.2.5.0. software was used for data analysis. For the analysis of associated factors, a p-value < 5% was considered. Results: In total, 977 women were surveyed. Among them, 43.19% underwent vaginal procedures using non-pharmaceutical products. The female practitioners were 34.34 ± 7.44 years old. The products used included plants, mineral substances, ointments, tablets, and solutions. Among the practicing women, 40.99% were looking for vaginal tightening. The main purpose was to maintain their partners (45.97%). Three-point thirty-two percent (3.32%) of the women who underwent vaginal procedures had reported adverse events. Conclusion: Raising awareness of the consequences of vaginal practices and encouraging women to go to a health center for any gynecological problem could significantly reduce the prevalence of vaginal practices.

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Intravaginal Practices and Prevalence of Sexual and Reproductive Tract Infections Among Women in Rural Malawi

Cited by 11 publications

References 27 publications

Low-cost diagnostic test for susceptible and drug-resistant tuberculosis in rural Malawi

Low-cost diagnostic test for susceptible and drug-resistant tuberculosis in rural Malawi

The Vaginal Microbiome in Health and Disease—What Role Do Common Intimate Hygiene Practices Play?

Study of Harmful Vaginal Practices of Women in the Municipality of Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso

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