ABSTRACT
This study aims to highlight the importance of screening all HIV positive women for various reproductive tract infections/sexually transmitted infections (RTIs/STIs) irrespective of symptoms and to determine its occurrence in asymptomatic HIV positive women. Relevant specimens were collected for diagnosis of various RTIs/STIs. STIs were diagnosed in nearly one‑third of the HIV positive asymptomatic patients which is quite high. The national strategy for STIs/RTIs control misses out large number of asymptomatic RTIs/STIs in HIV positive women which is responsible for silently transmitting these infections in the community. So this strategy should be modified to include screening of all HIV positives women irrespective of symptoms of STIs/RTIs.
ABSTRACT
Context: Gonorrhoea is one of the most common sexually transmitted infections (STI) in developing countries and is a global health problem. Aims: To analyze the trend of antimicrobial susceptibility of Neisseria gonorrhoeae isolates over the years, in a tertiary care hospital of North India. Settings and Design: The study population comprised males with urethritis and females with endocervicitis attending STI clinic of our hospital. Materials and Methods: In our STI laboratory, all gonococcal isolates are subjected to antimicrobial susceptibility testing by disc diffusion method as per CLSI guidelines. ß-lactamase production is determined by chromogenic cephalosporin test. Minimum Inhibitory Concentration (MIC) for ceftriaxone is determined by E-test. Statistical Analysis Used: Data were expressed as percentages. The differences in percentages were tested for statistical signifi cance by using χ2 test and P values were determined. Results: The percentage of penicillinase producing N. gonorrhoeae (PPNG) increased from 8% in 1995-96 to 20% in 2004-05 and 88% in 2011-2013. Quinolone-resistant N. gonorrhoeae (QRNG) showed a signifi cant increase from 12% in 1995-96 to 98.3% in 2004-05, while 84% isolates were found to be QRNG by 2011-2013. In January 2013 we detected our fi rst gonococcal isolate with decreased susceptibility to third-generation cephalosporins; Ceftriaxone, Cefi xime and Cefpodoxime (MIC for ceftriaxone = 0.19 μg/ml). Conclusions: The results of our study highlighted an alarming increase in the percentage of PPNG and QRNG strains over the years. Emergence of N. gonorrhoeae isolates with decreased susceptibility to third-generation cephalosporins is a cause of concern and thus emphasises the importance of antimicrobial susceptibility testing.