Significant Associations between and Infections in Human Immunodeficiency Virus-Infected Pregnant Women.

There is a lack of data on the burden of and among human immunodeficiency virus- (HIV-) infected pregnant women in South Africa. We conducted a cross-sectional study which included 385 HIV-infected pregnant women attending antenatal clinic at the King Edward VIII Hospital in Durban, South Africa. The women provided vaginal swabs which were tested for and . The prevalence of the individual STIs was as follows: (47/385, 12.2%) and (16/385, 4.1%). Having a circumcised partner, testing positive for , and perceiving themselves of being at risk for infection were shown to increase the risk for infection. Without controlling for the other factors, testing positive for increased the risk for infection by 10-fold (OR: 10.17, 95% CI: 3.39-29.66, < 0.001). Similarly, adjusting for the other factors, the risk for infection in women who tested positive for was 9-fold (OR: 9.16, 95% CI: 2.19-40.18, = 0.003). The following factors were associated with the increased risk of infection: not knowing their partner's HIV status, partner having other partners, and infection status. Without controlling for the other factors, testing positive for increased the risk for infection by 6-fold (OR: 6.52, 95% CI: 2.22-18.49, < 0.001). Similarly, adjusting for the other factors, the risk for infection in women who tested positive for was 6-fold (OR: 6.09, 95% CI: 1.73-22.03, = 0.005). We found a significant association between and in the pregnant women and the risk factors associated with these pathogens. Future studies are urgently required to investigate the impact of / coinfections in HIV pregnant women since this data is lacking in our setting. In addition, etiological screening of and during antenatal clinic is urgently required to prevent adverse pregnancy and birth outcomes associated with these infections.