Abstract
Sexually transmitted infections pause a global challenge. Mostly, human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and syphilis which are both transmitted sexually, infect a substantial number of people where female are at front line of exposure and high risk. Additionally, pregnant women experience more vulnerability exposing their infants to increased risk of dying from prematurity, low-birth-weight, stillbirth and congenital diseases. Therefore, continued surveillance of this co-infection is of paramount to establish the status of the diseases and increase the awareness. The current study has evaluated sero-prevalence of HIV and syphilis among pregnant women attending antenatal care center in Rwanda. In total, 1672 pregnant women who visited antenatal care center from 1st/sup> January to 31st/sup> December 2017 were included in the study. First, retrospectively, 1320 patient’s files were reviewed and all HIV and syphilis serological status and demographic characteristics were recorded from 1st/sup> January 2017 to 30th September 2017. Second, prospectively, from 1st/sup> October to 31st/sup> December 2017, 352 participants who accepted to participate in the study, gave blood sample for HIV and syphilis testing. The data were entered in SPSS version 22 and frequencies, percentage and chi-square tests were performed. As results, HIV and syphilis sero-prevalence were 71 (4.2%) and 29 (1.7%) respectively. In addition, 20 (1.2%) had HIV/syphilis co-infection. The cohabitant women exhibited higher HIV/syphilis co- infection than other women. HIV/syphilis co-infection exhibited a statistical significant association P.value 0.000. This finding suggest continued surveillance and special intervention for pregnant women to reduce their increased risk of sexually transmitted infection. In addition, cohabitant women need special intervention to reduce their increased risk of infection.
Highlights
Transmitted infections (STIs) pause a global challenge
940 000 people died from Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) related acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (HIV/AIDS) globally
Given the consequences of HIV/Syphilis co-infection in pregnant women in addition to being high-risk group [9, 10], the continued surveillance of this co-infection is of paramount to establish the status of the diseases and increase the awareness
Summary
Transmitted infections (STIs) pause a global challenge. There were approximately 36.9 million people living with HIV with 1.8 new infections [1]. Syphilis and HIV are both transmitted sexually and substantial number of people are infected with both agents [2]. Women have increased risk of contracting this infection compared to their counterpart [3] Sometime, female experience sexual abuse and rape rendering them STI vulnerability [4, 5]. There is an estimated 18 million of women infected with syphilis worldwide while those with pregnancy have approximately 305 000 fetal and neonatal deaths yearly [2]. Pregnancy is added risk of vulnerability due to Nyirahabihirwe Françoise et al.: HIV/AIDS and Syphilis Sero-prevalence Among Pregnant
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