Browsing by Author "Belayneh Solomon"

Now showing 1 - 1 of 1
  • No Thumbnail Available
    Item
    Assessment of Hiv Among Students of Highschools and Colleges Attending Clinics For Sexually Transmitted Diseases in Addis Ababa
    (Addis Ababa University, 1992-06) Belayneh Solomon; Zewdie Debrework (PhD); Petros Beyene (PhD)
    To assess the prevalence of the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) infection, the risk factors involved and the association between HIV and Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STDs), a cross - sectional study was conducted among highschool and college students attending three clinics for STDs in Addis Ababa. Out of 324 samples studied, 63(19%) were positive for antibodies to HIV by Enzyme linked immunosorbent assay and Western Blot analysis. Among 214 students with STDs, 48(22%) were positive for HIVantibodies. The seroprevalence rate for male students was 19% (95% confidence interval, 14 to 26) and for the female students 22% (95% confidence interval, 18 to 36). In addition, among 110 students without STD manifestations (controls), 15(14%) were positive for HIV antibodies. Among these, the seroprevalence rate for male students was 7% (95% confidence interval 1 to 13) and for the female students, 25% (95% confidence interval, 12 to 38). In both STD and non - STD smaples, highschool students had a higher rate of HIV seropositivity than college students. Students with STDs were more likely to be HIV seropositive than those without STD manifestations. A current diagnosis of syphilis was associated with HIV seropositivity among the total population of students (odds ratio, 2.6; P < 0.00003); among the STD samples (odds ratio, 2.2; P < 0.009); among total female students with STDs (odds ratio, 6.93; P < 0.002) and among total highschool students with STDs (odds ratio, 2.25; P < 0.01). A current diagnosis of chancroid was associated with HIV seropositivity among the totai population of students (odds ratio, 2.0; P < 0.01) and among male students with STD cases (odds ratio, 2.38; P < 0.05). Mul tipartner sexual contacts, lack of condom use, past STD history and current ST~ cases were found to be the risk factors for both syphilis and HIV signif icantly, indicating that they are likely to be important confounders and also indicating that the association between HIV and syphilis can be influenced by these factors. The study finds that HIV infection is present in highschools and colleges in Addis Ababa at high rates and STDs usch as syphilis and chancroid are associated with HIV transmission among the students.