Seroepidemiological study on sexually transmitted diseases and hepatitis B in African promiscuous heterosexuals in relation to HTLV-III infection

Abstract

A seroepidemiological study was performed on HTLV-III, T. pallidum, C. trachomatis and Hepatitis B virus (HBV), in Butare, Rwanda, among 33 female prostitutes, 25 male customers of prostitutes, and 60 male and female controls. As compared with female controls the prostitutes had a higher prevalence of antibodies to HTLV-III (29/33 versus 4/33, p less than 0.001), T. pallidum (TPHA: 27/33 versus 6/33, p less than 0.001; RPR: 19/33 versus 2/33, p less than 0.001; FTA-Abs: 27/33 versus 5/33, p less than 0.001) and C. trachomatis (IgG IF: 31/33 versus 13/33, p less than 0.001). HBV serological markers were more often detected in the prostitutes than in the female controls (31/33 versus 18/33, p less than 0.001) although HBs antigen carriage rate was similar in both groups. As compared with male controls, the male customers of prostitutes had more frequently detectable antibodies to HTLV-III (7/25 versus 2/27, p = 0.05), and a positive RPR (10/25 versus 1/27, p less than 0.01). Among the 118 individuals studied, odds ratios and trend analysis disclosed a significant association between HTLV-III seropositivity and a positive TPHA, RPR, FTA-Abs, Chlamydia IgG IF test and serological markers to HBV. No association was found between HTLV-III seropositivity and HBs Ag carriage. This study suggests that HTLV-III has to be considered as an infectious agent transmitted among promiscuous Central African heterosexuals by sexual contact and/or parenteral contact with unsterile needles used for STD treatments.

Circumcision and HIV Infection: Review of the Literature and Meta-Analysis

“…For example, there may exist a causal relation between several STDs and HIV infection 74,75 , resulting from the mutual dependence of HIV and STDs on patterns of sexual activity or from the effect HIV may have on the clinical course of the STD. Likewise, the differing role of the prepuce as a risk factor, depending on the prevalence of circumcision in a region, suggests that the prepuce Van Howe.…”

Evaluation of seroepidemiological associations between HIV-infection, hepatitis B and other sexually transmitted diseases in African patients

“…In contrast, HBV-positivity may reach as much as 80% in early childhood in endemic areas (8,17). Such data could explain why in some studies no correlations have been observed (13), whereas they have been reported in others (5,20). If this view holds true, HBV-positivity would be a better marker of high sexual activity than positivity for other STDs.…”

“…Former studies have reported a correlation between serological markers for syphilis and HIV (5,16,20), though others have denied it (13). Apparently an overall correlation does exist, at least for women, and is also observed in univariate analysis.…”

Detection of HIV p17 antigen in lymphocytes but not epithelial cells from cervicovaginal secretions of women seropositive for HIV: implications for heterosexual transmission of the virus.

“…The strong association between past or present STDs and infection with HIV in prostitutes and their clients has been emphasised by epidemiological studies performed in eastern and central Africa. 16 17 Thus both laboratory and epidemiological studies support STDs as an enhancing factor in the heterosexual transmission of HIV. This could partly explain the relative lack of sexual transmission reported in the United States of America and Australia in non-promiscuous people.…”

“…We studied 17 consecutive African women seropositive for HIV (by an immunoenzyme test) who attended the department of gynaecology of the Centre Hospitalier de Kigali, Kigali, Rwanda, because they had leucorrhoea. They were compared with 17 consecutive seronegative patients of the same geographic origin attending the same department for the same reason.…”