DEFINITIONS OF GENITAL ULCER DISEASE AND VARIATION IN RISK FOR PREVALENT HUMAN-IMMUNODEFICIENCY-VIRUS INFECTION

Objectives: Although genital ulcer disease (GUD) has been associated w ith human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection in a number of studie s, definitions of genital ulceration have varied. The authors hypothes ized that the association of GUD with prevalent HIV infection may vary according to the definition of GUD that is used. Methods: As part of a prospective cohort study, 863 patients were interviewed and examined who presented to a sexually transmitted disease (STD) clinic for new symptom evaluation and who agreed to HIV testing to determine demograp hic and behavioral risk associated with prevalent HIV infection. To de termine the association between GUD and prevalent HIV the following de finitions of GUD were used: observed ulcers, history of syphilis, sero logic evidence of syphilis, observed culture-proven genital herpes, an d serologic evidence of herpes simplex virus type II (HSV-2) infection . Results: Of 481 men and 382 women enrolled, prevalent HN infection w as detected in 12.5% and 5.2%, respectively. In multivariate analyses controlling for known HIV risk behaviors, prevalent HIV infection was associated with observed GUD (odds ratio [OR] = 2.0, 95% confidence in tervals (CI)= 1.0-3.9), a history of syphilis (OR = 6.0, CI = 2.8-12.7 ), and serologic evidence of syphilis (OR = 3.7, CI = 1.9-7.0), but no t with serologic evidence of HSV-2 (OR = 1.2, CI = 0.7-2.1), nor with observed HSV-2 culture-positive genital ulcerations (OR = 1.0, CI = 0. 4-4.2), Factors contributing to different strengths of association bet ween HIV infection and a history of syphilis or serologic evidence of syphilis included the presence of underdiagnosed syphilis infection in people with reactive serologic tests and the absence of serologic rea ctivity in people with a positive history. Conclusions: Although GUD i s strongly associated with prevalent HIV, the strength of the associat ion depends on the definition of GUD used. For accurate evaluation of people at risk for HIV, clinicians and researchers should use multiple definitions of GUD.