Abstract
The challenges related to the diagnosis of sexually transmitted infections present more complex factors in remote and hard-to-reach areas. The use of self-collection devices that facilitate the obtaining of a biological sample with high quality for sensitive molecular tests have been examined. This study aimed to evaluate the performance and acceptance of the Evalyn® Brush (Rovers® Medical Devices) for detection of T. vaginalis among women living in the riverside communities of Amazonas, Brazil. The study included 300 riverside women. They received instructions for self-collection, carried out the task, and then answered a questionnaire on the use of the device. T. vaginalis was detected by Polymerase Chain Reaction, using primers TVK3/TVK7. The mean age of the women was 35.8 years, and most of them presented low schooling, low income, agricultural activity and lived in a marital union. All samples were positive for human genomic DNA (100%) and the prevalence of T. vaginalis infection was 5.6% (n = 17). Of the 300 women, 293 (97.7%) indicated that they liked the use of the device, 287 (95.7%) reported having had no difficulty in handling it, 265 (88.3%) did not feel any type of discomfort and 228 (76%) said they preferred the self-collection to the collection made by the professional, mainly due to privacy and comfort. The Evalyn® Brush proved reliable as a device for the collection of biological samples for molecular analysis and was well-accepted by women. Its use can be indicated in remote and hard to reach places.
Highlights
The challenges related to the diagnosis of sexually transmitted infections present more complex factors in remote and hard-toreach areas
T. vaginalis infection has been associated with a variety of adverse health effects for women, including preterm birth, low birth weight, post hysterectomy infection, inflammatory pelvic disease and infertility [2,3,4]
One of the most serious associations has been the role of T. vaginalis infection in facilitating the acquisition and transmission of Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV), as it has been postulated to increase the risk of contamination by 2 to 3 times [2,4,5,6,7]
Summary
The challenges related to the diagnosis of sexually transmitted infections present more complex factors in remote and hard-toreach areas. The use of self-collection devices that facilitate the obtaining of a biological sample with high quality for sensitive molecular tests have been examined. Methodology: The study included 300 riverside women They received instructions for self-collection, carried out the task, and answered a questionnaire on the use of the device. Coping with the Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS) epidemic and other STI (even curable ones) takes on more complex proportions in remote and hard to reach regions, as these regions exhibit adverse conditions for collection and transport of biological samples and little or no infrastructure for on-site examination [8,9]. The Brazilian Amazon region is an area of great demographic dispersion, with small isolated riverside communities, and with exclusive access by river or air (through small seaplanes). These riverside communities located in the Amazon interior have social, cultural and geographic peculiarities, with health care centralized in the urban areas and sporadic actions of health care professionals
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