A Chart Review Study of Sexually Transmitted Infections Among Persons Living with HIV Attending an STI Clinic in Trinidad

John²,

Todd³

et al. 2021

Int J STD AIDS

Self Cite

A chart review study was conducted to determine the prevalence of syphilis and explore the associated risk factors among men who have sex with men (MSM) who attended a large HIV clinic in Trinidad during the period January–December 2019. Patients were routinely screened for syphilis annually, and demographic, clinical, and laboratory data were extracted from the medical records. Descriptive and bivariate analyses were performed, and factors significantly associated with a syphilis diagnosis were assessed using multivariate logistic regression. During the period, 218 MSM were seen, age range 19–67 years, and median age 34.0 years. The prevalence of syphilis was 41.3% (90/218), and 71.1% (64//90) of these infections were asymptomatic. Multivariate analysis using logistic regression showed that MSM living with HIV in the 30–34 years old-age group (OR, 4.32; 95% CI, 1.04–18.02), and those with a previous history of treated syphilis (OR, 10.18; 95% CI, 4.60–22.53) were more likely to be diagnosed with syphilis. The prevalence of syphilis is high among MSM attending the HIV clinic in Trinidad, and most of these infections were asymptomatic; hence, targeted and sustained interventions to reduce syphilis transmission are urgently required. Repeat episodes of syphilis may play a role in the transmission dynamics of syphilis in MSM.

Section: Discussioncontrasting

confidence: 44%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Syphilis among men who have sex with men attending a large HIV clinic in Trinidad

John²,

Todd³

et al. 2021

Int J STD AIDS

Self Cite

“…Testing for HIV was done using Alere Determine V R HIV-1/2 Ab rapid test (Alere Inc., Waltham, MA, USA) and the Uni-Gold A chart review study which examined the charts of all PLHIV who attended the QPCC&C in 2012 showed that 385 PLHIV attended the STI clinic that year. 19 Hence for a population of 385 clients at the 95% confidence level with a confidence interval of 5, the sample size would be 193. Patients less than 18 years of age and HIV-seronegative individuals were excluded from the study.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…A chart review study which examined the charts of all PLHIV who attended the QPCC&C in 2012 showed that 385 PLHIV attended the STI clinic that year. 19…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Prevalence and risk factors for sexually transmitted infections among people living with HIV attending a sexually transmitted infection clinic in Trinidad

Hinds²,

Lyons³

et al. 2019

Int J STD AIDS

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A cross-sectional study to determine the prevalence and risk factors for sexually transmitted infections (STIs) among people living with HIV (PLHIV) attending the STI clinic in Trinidad was conducted during the period April–September 2014. A questionnaire was administered to obtain socio-demographic data and risk factors for STIs and patients were screened for STIs. Two hundred and ten PLHIV (138 males [65.7%] and 72 females [34.3%]) were enrolled; age range 18–68 years, mean age 36.4 years. Seventy-eight (37.1%) of the 210 patients were diagnosed with a concurrent STI. Homosexual/bisexual study patients were more likely to be diagnosed with an STI (OR, 3.56; 95% CI, 1.94–6.51) and more likely to be diagnosed with syphilis (OR, 4.84; 95% CI, 2.40–9.77). Multivariate analysis using binary multiple regression showed that risk factors for STIs included male gender (OR, 2.46; 95% CI, 1.06–5.73), homosexual/bisexual sexual orientation (OR, 2.26; 95% CI, 1.06–4.80) and multiple sex partners within the past 12 months (OR, 1.99; 95% CI, 1.03–3.86). There is a high prevalence of STIs among homosexual/bisexual patients in this study in whom syphilis was the most commonly diagnosed STI. Hence more frequent STI screening and targeted HIV/STI prevention efforts to reduce high-risk behaviour are needed.

“…The prevalence of STIs among PLHIV attending the STI Clinic in Trinidad was found to be 35.1% in 2012 [ 9 ] and 37.1% in 2014 [ 10 ] in two cross-sectional studies and STIs were found to be more common in MSM in whom syphilis was the most commonly diagnosed STI [ 10 ]. In these studies, the prevalence of syphilis increased from 13.2% in 2012 (9) to 21.0% in 2014 [ 10 ].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Correlates of prevalent syphilis infection among men who have sex with men (MSM) living with HIV attending the HIV clinic in Trinidad

Mohammed²,

Lavia³

et al. 2022

PLoS ONE

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Background Syphilis among men who have sex with men (MSM) living with HIV is of public health concern, thus the objective of the study is to determine the correlates of prevalent syphilis infection in this population so that urgent interventions could be instituted. Methods A cross-sectional study was conducted during the period September 2020-June 2021 among MSM who attended a large HIV Clinic in Trinidad. A questionnaire was administered to obtain socio-demographic data and correlates of prevalent syphilis and patients were screened for syphilis using the traditional algorithm. Descriptive and bivariate analyses were conducted and multivariable logistic regression factors was used to assess factors significantly associated with a syphilis diagnosis. Results Two hundred and sixty four MSM were enrolled; age range 18–64 years, median age 33 years and 89 (34.4%) were actively bisexual. The prevalence of syphilis was 28% (74/264) and 89.2% (66/74) of these infections were asymptomatic. Multivariable logistic regression analysis showed that those patients who participated in sex with anonymous partners (OR 2.09; 95% CI, 1.03–4.26), those with a previous diagnosis of syphilis (OR 5.16; 95% CI, 1.03–25.83) and those who used marijuana in the last 12 months (OR 2.13; 95% CI, 1.14–3.96) were more likely to be diagnosed with syphilis. Conclusion There is a high prevalence of asymptomatic syphilis among MSM living with HIV in Trinidad. Repeat episodes of syphilis and anonymous sex may play a role in the transmission dynamics of T pallidum infection in this population, thus urgent public health prevention interventions are warranted.