Frequency of Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) in Trichomonas vaginalis Infected Women in Badagry, Lagos, Nigeria.

BACKGROUND: The interaction between HIV and Trichomonas vaginalis infection has been widely studied in most developed countries but with scanty information in sub-Saharan Africa. While many of these studies have examined the prevalence of T. vaginalis infection in HIV positive individuals, no study in Nigeria has shown the effect of T. vaginalis on HIV transmission. Therefore, the study aimed to determine the occurrence of HIV in T. vaginalis infected women.

METHODS: A descriptive study was conducted among women attending STI clinic at the General Hospital, Badagry, Lagos, Nigeria. A total number of 201 (T. vaginalis infected) women were screened for HIV using rapid diagnostic test kits.

RESULTS: The frequency of HIV in T. vaginalis infected women was 35.8%.

CONCLUSION: The study showed that T. vaginalis infection in women may be a high risk factor of HIV infection.