HIV infection among patients with sexually transmitted diseases in rural South Africa

A cross-sectional study of 360 patients presenting with sexually transmitte d diseases (STDs) to a primary care clinic in KwaZulu/Natal, South Africa w as done. Prevalence of HIV infection was 42.5%. HIV-infected patients were of simila r age to uninfected patients (mean age 25.1 vs 26.1 years), but were less l ikely to be married (9.2% vs 18.8%; P=0.02). HIV prevalence was highest amo ng young women (47.9% among women aged 15-34 years compared with 33.1% amon g men of the same age; P=0.03). History of a previous STD in the preceding 3 months was high (40.1% in HIV-infected patients). Similar proportions of the HIV-infected and HIV-uninfected had sought care for the previous illnes s at private practitioners (16.9%), and primary care clinics (50.0%), and t raditional healers (14.6%) or had treated themselves (18.5%). Patients with an STD are at very high risk of HIV infection in this setting . Repeat STDs are frequent and opportunities exist to improve treatment see king behaviour, to reduce the risk of recurrent STDs, and hence to reduce t he incidence of HIV infection.