Abstract: Background: More than 340 million cases of curable sexually transmitted infections (STIs) were estimated to have occurred worldwide in 1995. Previous studies have shown that the presence of other concomitant STIs increases the likelihood of HIV transmission. Migrant people were a high risk group in acquiring HIV and others STI. Nepal is facing rapid increases prevalence among high-risk groups such as sex workers, injection drug users and migrant. Western part of Nepal faces the same threat. The aim of our study was to estimate the prevalence of STIs, and assess knowledge and risk behaviours related to STIs, among migrants’ people and their wives in Far Western, Nepal. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional analytical study was carried out in migrant labors, their wives and women with syndromes in year 2009 at the Department of Microbiology, Siddhanath Science Campus, Mahendranagar, Kanchanpur. A total of 208 participants were recruited as they attended VCT centers at Kanchanpur. A structured questionnaire addressing demographic information, sexual life history, sexual contacts, and knowledge and practices related to HIV/STI transmission and prevention was administered by face-to-face interview. Biological samples were obtained from all participants and tested for STIS, Treponema pallidum, Neisseria gonorrhoeae, and Trichomonas vaginalis, Candida albicans and bacterial vaginosis. Pearson’s chi-square analysis was performed to test associations between potential risk factors and specified diagnosed infections. Seventy percent patients were wife of migrants, the highest prevalence of STIs 10% were also found among them. Result: A total of 208 participants were examined and 39% were positive for different causative agents of STIs. The prevalence of T. pallidum 2%, N. gonorrhoeae 0%, % T. vaginalis 10%, Candida albicans 23% and Bacterial vaginosis (describe in Table 1) 14%. The highest prevalence of STIs was found in age group 30-49 years. The prevalence of STIs was higher in male then women. Eighty percent patients knew that STIs could be transmitted through the sexual contact followed by other corrected response like infected syringe 73%, blood 71%, and mother to baby 60%, kissing 47% and mosquito bite 8%. Fifty three percent of the participants reported that they “Always use condom”. Twenty one percent participants had sexual relationship with prostitute. Most of participants 64% were streaked in only one sexual partner. Twenty four percent had 2-4 sexual partners and 12% had more than four sexual partners. Conclusions: The result shows that migrant people are at high risk of infection. The prevalence of curable STIs are alarmingly high and emphasize the urgent need for interventions aimed at combating the spread of STIs among women in general and migrant or wives of migrant in particular. Education and outreach programs are needed to reduce embarrassment and lack of knowledge related to STIs.

Abstract: Toxoplasma gondii is a ubiquitous protozoan parasite that is estimated to infect one-third of the world’s human population causing a wide range spectrum of diseases. Reports on the prevalence of T. gondii infection among infertile females are scarce. This case-control study aimed to screen the infertile females and pregnant controls for Toxoplasma infection investigating a possible association with infertility. A total of 319 female infertility ladies and 103 pregnant controls were examined for the pres-ence of IgG and IgM antibodies against T. gondii by using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Ages in infertile ladies (26.8 years ± 4.7) was comparable with that of the controls (26 years ± 5.3), (p > 0.05). The overall seroprevalence of T. gondii in this study was 57.52%. Anti-T. gondii IgG antibodies indicating latent infection with T. gondii was found in 193 (61.85%) of 312 infertile ladies and 44 (44%) of 100 controls. There was a highly significant difference between the 2 groups (p = 0.002). Our results found an association between toxoplasmosis and infertility. This finding encourage both prompting health education to prevent Toxoplasma infection in female population especially in childbearing age and further investigation to elucidate the causative relation between T. gondii infection and female infertility.

Abstract: Background/aim: High-density lipoprotein (HDL) protects against atherosclerotic plaque formation. The present study examined the relationship between HDL serum concentrations and markers of inflammation in patients on renal replacement therapies. Methods: We studied 96 dialyzed patients, 62 males and 34 females, on mean age 62.1 ± 14.27 years old and 24 healthy controls. The treatment modalities which were applied were: regular hemodialysis (HD, n = 34), predilution hemodiafiltration (HDF, n = 42) and peritoneal dialysis (PD, n = 20). Dialysis adequacy was defined by Kt/V for urea and serum bicarbonate levels were measured in gas machine. Cholesterol, triglycerides, HDL and LDL concentrations were biochemically measured. Oxidized LDL (ox-LDL) and hsCRP serum concentrations were measured by ELISA. Beta2-microglobulin (beta2M) and leptin serum concentrations were measured by radioimmunoassays. Results: The patients presented increased beta2M, hsCRP, leptin and triglycerides than control group, but HDL exhibited significant reduction (p < 0.05). The patients on PD had significantly higher serum bicarbonate levels and lower oxLDL than other groups of patient (p < 0.05). HDL positively associated with Kt/V, presented negative correlation with both, ox-LDL and beta2M (r = -0.237, p = 0.02 and r = -0.291, p = 0.004 respectively). Beta2M was positively associated with hsCRP (r = 0.257, p = 0.01). Serum bicarbonate levels were inversely associated with hsCRP and oxLDL (r = -0.232, p = 0.05 and r = -0.289, p = 0.01 respectively). Conclusions: The low HDL was associated with increased beta2M concentrations in patients on renal replacement therapies. The HDL reduction was combined with an elevation of oxLDL, which was lower in PD patients compared to hemodialysis modalities patients. The acidosis state influenced both, the inflammatory environment and the increase of oxidized lipids. Dialysis adequacy was positively correlated to HDL serum concentrations.

Abstract: Sexually transmitted infections are now recognized as a serious global threat to the health of populations. Adolescents and young adults (15-24) are the age groups at the greatest risk for acquiring sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and 3 million become infected each year. These infections and diseases can have severe consequences, especially in women, if not treated. The aim of this study was to assess the comprehensive knowledge and practices about sexually transmitted infections among young married scheduled castes women in rural areas of Thiruvarur district of Tamilnadu state in India. A community based cross-sectional study was conducted in 28 villages selected using multistage sampling technique for selecting 605 women in the age group of 15-24 years during July 2010-April 2011. Data analysis was by use of Statistical Package for Social Sciences version-17, with statistical significance set at p-value of 0.05. The result shows that only 37.9% of women had knowledge about STIs. Nearly 8.8% of women had experienced STIs among study population. Majority of the scheduled caste women had the tendency of seeking treatment for their infection problems (77.4%). The women in households in the highest standard of living index (SLI) were more likely to receive STIs (100%) than women in households in the lowest SLI (72.7%). Birth order had a negative influence on treatment seeking behaviour for STIs. The higher birth order pregnancies were less likely to receive treatment for sexually transmitted infections (66.7%) than lower birth order pregnancies (90%). It concludes that, most of the women do not seek treatment until discomfort is quite high because of women tend to consider many symptoms as normal, feeling of shy and lack of female health workers in health care centers. The low socio-economic status of women appears to have influence on high rate of infection. Education and health care efforts should be implemented to improve the sexual health of young people in rural areas of Tamilnadu state.

Abstract: The main objective of this current study is to provide information about HIV positive patients’ experiences toward realizing HIV test results by using qualitative method. Ten HIV positive patients participated in30- to 60-min semi-structure interviews which involved open ended questions. Five main codes were identified. The findings revealed reasons for HIV testing including: emotional reactions in time of realizing HIV status, physical reactions towards understanding of HIV status, mitigating factors, aggravating factors. Based on the findings of this study, it is suggested that HIV service providers should consider post -test counseling for HIV positive patients. This counseling might be more helpful when done by a HIV specialist and trained HIV positive patients.