Effect of intravaginal practices on the vaginal and cervical mucosa of Zimbabwean women. NLM AIDSLINE Important note: Information in this article was accurate in 2000. The state of the art may have changed since the publication date.

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Effect of intravaginal practices on the vaginal and cervical mucosa of Zimbabwean women.

Unique Identifier : AIDSLINE MED/20334008
van de Wijgert JH; Chirenje ZM; Iliff V; Mbizvo MT; Mason PR; Gwanzura L; Shiboski S; Padian NS

Abstract: OBJECTIVES: Lesions on the vaginal and cervical mucosa may facilitate transmission of HIV and other sexually transmitted diseases (STDs). We evaluated the relationship between intravaginal practices and the presence of colposcopic lesions in Zimbabwean women. METHODS: Users and nonusers of intravaginal practices were seen at enrollment, and at 1 and 6 months. Interviewing, counseling, and pelvic and colposcopic examinations were performed at each study visit. Specimens were collected at enrollment and 6 months. RESULTS: Colposcopic lesions were found at least once in 83% of the participants (n = 162), and in 66% of all exams (n = 430). Most lesions were classified as related to infection with human Papillomavirus (HPV) (58%) or another pathogen (20%), but 11% of lesions could have been caused by intravaginal practices (signal lesions). Intravaginal practices were not associated with an increased incidence in signal lesions (95 and 124 lesions per 100 person-years of follow-up for users and nonusers respectively; p = .290), nor with the presence of
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