Prevalence and risk factors associated with gonorrhea and chlamydia infections among HIV infected patients at Burnt Forest AMPATH Clinic, Uasin-Gishu County

Abstract

Background: Sexually transmitted infections (STIs), is one of the major public health burden globally. Among the Human Immune-deficiency Virus (HIV) infected individuals, STI enhances HIV transmission. Thus if HIV infection has to be properly managed, there is need to first focus on the management of STIs which begins by getting the actual magnitude of the problem by screening, and finding out the associated risk factors. Objectives: The main objective of this study was to determine the prevalence of Gonorrhea and Chlamydia infections and their associated risk factors among HIV infected patients seeking care at Burnt Forest AMPATH clinic. Methods: This cross sectional descriptive study was carried out in Burnt forest AMPATH clinic where the study population included all HIV/AIDS patients seeking care at AMPATH clinic. The sample size was derived using the Fisher’s formula to get 150 subjects. Sampling of the study participant was systematic. Data was collected using interviewer administered questionnaire. Urine samples were also collected for laboratory analysis using the CT/NG PCR assay on the Abbott m2000 system. Data analysis was performed using STATA version 12 special edition. Categorical variables were summarized as frequency and corresponding percentages. Age, the only continuous variable was summarized as mean. The outcome was being positive for Gonorrhea and/or Chlamydia. The point prevalence of these infections was reported and alongside it were the corresponding 95% confidence limits (95% CL). The test for association between the categorical variables was done using Pearson’s Chi Square test. Results: The point prevalence for Gonorrhea was found to be 3.3% (95% CL: 1.1%-7.6%), while that of Chlamydia was 0%. Age was the only variable that was significantly associated with the outcome of being positive for Gonorrhea infection. The odds ratio and the corresponding 95% confidence limits were OR: 0.78 (95% CL: 0.66-0.92). This implies that a subject who was one year older than the other was 22% less likely to be suffering from Gonorrhea compared to someone younger than him/ her by a year. This effect was statistically significant at 5% level of significance. Conclusion: The prevalence of Gonorrhea among the HIV infected in this study was comparable to the reported prevalence of Gonorrhea among the HIV infected in Kenya. Age was significantly associated with the outcome of being positive for Gonorrhea thus the younger would benefit more from STI screening than the elderly. There was no documented case for Chlamydia in this study and so the risk factors for Chlamydia infection among the HIV infected in this population could not be determined.