HIV/AIDS and Some Sexual -Transmitted Diseases Among Pregnant Women and Voluntary Counseling and Testing Attendants in Malakal Town, Upper Nile State, South Sudan

Abstract

This study was undertaken to evaluate the seroprevalence of HIV and STDs among pregnant women and voluntary counseling and testing attendants in Malakal Town, and to determine the possible risk factors that might have promoted the rapid spread of HIV and AIDS among the local population. The primary objectives of the study were three: First, to estimate the seroprevalence of HIV and STDs; second, to determine the risk factors associated with disease transmission; and third, assess the sexual behavioral pattern of the target group with regard to condom use, abstinence and faithfulness. A total of 2000 participants (1200 pregnant women and 800 VCT Attendants) were screened. Specimens obtained were: venous blood, cervical swab and urine. Specimen analysis was conducted through various methods. These included the use of Determine HIV-1/2, Uni-Gol HIV 1/2, Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA) and Western Blot for HIV diagnosis, culture on Modified New York City Medium (MNYC), gram’s stain for gonorrhea, RPR for syphilis, and wet microscopic examination for candidiasis and trichomoniasis. Data were then analysed by computer SPSS and presented in form of tables, pie-charts and statistical significance checked by Chi-square. The results showed that out of the 2000 participants, ten (0.5%) were HIV positive, fourteen (0.7%) syphilis positive, six (0.3%) candidiasis, three (0.15%) trichomoniasis, and one (0.05%) gonorrheae. Among pregnant women the prevalence of different STDs was as follows: HIV (0.3%), syphilis (0.6%), candidiasis (0.3%), trichomoniasis (0.16%) and Gonorrhea (0.08%). While in VCT Attendants the prevalence of different STDs was HIV (0.75%), syphilis (0.75%), candidiasis (0.25%) and trichomoniasis (0.125%). Co-infections of HIV with other STDs among pregnant women was 75%, with syphilis, 50%) with candidiasis and 50% with trichomoniasis. Co-infections of HIV with the other STDs among VCT Attendants were as follows syphilis 33%, candidiasis 100% and trichomoniasis 100%. III

Regarding the use of condoms, only 100 (20%) of the 500 males subjects declared as regular condom users. CD4 counts were found less than 200 mm3 in all HIV-reactive cases. Based on the above findings, it is recommended that there is an urgent need for ordinate efforts against HIV, Syphilis and other STDs in Malakal Town, in addition to sustained public awareness campaigns that promote safe sex, abstinence, faithfulness and the use of condoms consistently and correctly.