Converging epidemics of sexually transmitted infections and bacterial vaginosis in southern African female adolescents at risk of HIV

Adolescents in Africa are at high risk for HIV infection, other sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and bacterial vaginosis (BV). Since behavior and burden of STIs/BV may influence HIV risk, behavioral risk factors and prevalence of STIs/BV were compared in HIV-seronegative adolescent females (n = 298; 16–22 years) from two South African communities (Soweto and Cape Town). STIs ( Chlamydia trachomatis, Neisseria gonorrhoeae, Trichomonas vaginalis, Mycoplasma genitalium, herpes simplex virus (HSV)-1, HSV-2, Treponema pallidum, and Haemophilus ducreyi) were detected by multiplex polymerase chain reaction, human papillomavirus (HPV) by Roche Linear Array, and BV by Nugent scoring. Rates of BV (Nugent ≥7; 46.6%) and HPV (66.8%) were high in both communities. Prevalence of C. trachomatis and N. gonorrhoeae were >2-fold higher in Cape Town than Soweto (Chlamydia: 42% [62/149] versus 18% [26/148], p 70% of young women with treatable conditions that could enhance HIV risk would have been missed because they lacked symptoms associated with syndromic management.