Syphilis and Hepatitis B Co-infection among HIV-Infected, Sex-Trafficked Women and Girls in Nepal
Author Information
Author(s): Silverman Jay G., Decker Michele R., Gupta Jhumka, Dharmadhikari Ashwin, Seage George R. III, Raj Anita
Primary Institution: Harvard School of Public Health
Hypothesis
HIV-infected sex-trafficked women and girls are more likely to be co-infected with syphilis and hepatitis B compared to those who are HIV negative.
Conclusion
HIV-infected sex-trafficking victims are more likely to be infected with other STIs, specifically syphilis and hepatitis B, than those not infected with HIV.
Supporting Evidence
- 74 out of 246 women tested positive for HIV, indicating a high prevalence.
- 20.4% of women tested positive for syphilis.
- 3.8% of women tested positive for hepatitis B.
- HIV positive women were 1.88 times more likely to have syphilis than HIV negative women.
- HIV positive women were 30 times more likely to have hepatitis B than HIV negative women.
- 35.1% of HIV positive women had either syphilis or hepatitis B.
Takeaway
Women and girls who are trafficked for sex and have HIV are also likely to have other infections like syphilis and hepatitis B, which means they need special medical care.
Methodology
Data were extracted from medical records of sex-trafficked women and girls tested for HIV and STIs at Maiti Nepal, with specific tests for syphilis and hepatitis B.
Potential Biases
Potential biases in selection for diagnostic testing were assessed and found to be negligible.
Limitations
The study excluded records lacking HIV or STI test documentation, which may limit the generalizability of the findings.
Participant Demographics
Participants were sex-trafficked women and girls aged 7 to 40 years, with a median age of 20 years.
Statistical Information
P-Value
p<0.05
Confidence Interval
1.17–3.03; 7.32–122.73; 1.11–2.85
Statistical Significance
p<0.05
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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