Vaginal trichomoniasis among HIV patients attending primary health care centers of Jos, Nigeria

ObjectiveTo determine the prevalence of trichomonal infection in HIV/AIDS and non-HIV control group of patients in a population of women with abnormal vaginal discharge.MethodsWe conducted a simple cross-sectional study. Primary health care centers in Jos metropolis and Jos University Teaching Hospital, during December 2006 to December 2007. Seven hundred high vaginal swabs were collected; 350 from HIV positive and another 350 from HIV-negative control group of patients with abnormal vaginal discharge attending primary health care centers in Jos metropolis and analysed for microscopy and culture in Jos University Teaching Hospital. Data on epidemiologic indices from the patients, using structured interviewer-administered questionnaires were collected.ResultsThe rate of trichomoniasis among all participants in the study was 17% (n=120/700). The prevalence rate of trichomoniasis among persons with HIV was 24% while it was found to be 10.3% among HIV negative controls. The difference was statistically significant (χ2 =23.172; df=1; P<0.05). The rate of co-infection of Trichomonas vaginalis (T. vaginalis) in bacterial vaginosis was 42% (n=50/120), while it was 24% (n=29/120) in candidiasis. The singles had a 35% high rate of trichomonal infection. The infected women had a median age of 26 years, and a median number of 3 intra-vaginal sex partners per week.ConclusionsThere was a significant statistical difference in prevalence of T. vaginalis between HIV/AIDS group and non-HIV(control) group of patients in the study (P<0.05). Local HIV prevention strategies should target such women with trichomonal infection for intervention efforts, especially in HIV endemic area of sub-continent of Africa to further reduce the burden of HIV in the population.