Sexually Transmitted Disease Co-Infections in HIV/AIDS Infected Patients

Objectives: The quality of life for persons living with HIV/AIDS has improved with the development of highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART). Since HAART, many persons with HIV/AIDS continue to lead sexually active lives after HIV diagnosis and may continue to engage in unprotected sex. Many studies have found that some STDs such as syphilis may increase the likelihood of contracting HIV, and vice-versa. This investigation examined the role of HIV/AIDS in rising vulnerability to STD co-infections in persons attending two HIV-STD clinics in Kentucky. Methods: This investigation was comprised of three study designs. The cross-sectional study evaluated exposure and outcome simultaneously by matching HIV cases and controls to other STD cases and controls. The case-comparison study compared co-infections among a population of HIV positive individuals either with or without another STD. The count-comparison study included separately-reported cases of HIV and STDs from Fayette County and Kentucky to compare counts to the first two studies. Results: Out of 483 persons tested (or notified as being at risk) for HIV at the HIV-STD clinic, 60 were found to be at risk for HIV-STD co-infections and 51 (85%) agreed to be tested. Nineteen of the 51 participants (37%) tested positive for HIV-STD co-infections. The odds of having HIV/AIDS and contracting another STD was 5.53 (95% CI=1.58-19.27, p=0.005). Conclusions: Although HIV and many other STDs are on the national notifiable disease list, HIV-STD co-infections are not. Better prevention strategies and screening methods are needed to decrease the morbidity and mortality of HIV-STD co-infections.