A new study in
the March 1 issue of The Journal of Infectious
Diseases reports that women who have the common sexually
transmitted disease trichomoniasis have a significantly
increased risk of HIV infection, reports
Sciencedaily.com.
Past studies have
demonstrated a link between STDs and susceptibility to
HIV infection, but this new study is the first to show a
statistically significant relationship between
trichomoniasis and HIV infection.
According to the
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention,
trichomoniasis is the most common curable STD in sexually
active young women. Trichomoniasis is caused by a
parasite and infects an estimated 7.4 million women
and men in the U.S. and more than 170 million people
worldwide each year. The disease itself can be cured with
the prescription drug metronidazole and does not
usually cause serious complications.
The study,
conducted by R. Scott McClelland and others, tracked 1,335
HIV-seronegative women over 11 years. They found a 1.5-fold
increased risk of HIV infection in women who had
trichomoniasis. McClelland explains in the study that
"a woman with trichomoniasis is at about 50% greater
risk for acquiring HIV than a woman without trichomoniasis,
after adjusting for other differences between the women such
as differences in the rates of condom use and
the number of sex partners."
The study posits
that trichomoniasis can cause the mucous membranes to
have tiny areas of bleeding that provide a pathway for
increased HIV infection. Also the parasite can break
down an enzyme that blocks the attachment of HIV to
cells.
For more
information visit www.idsociety.org and www.hivma.org. (The
Advocate)