Muhammad Hashim Raza, Nadeem Ikram, Noreen Saeed, Uman Waheed, Muhammad Kamran, Rashid Iqbal, Muhammad Abu Bakar.
HIV/AIDS and Syphilis Screening Among High Risk Groups.
J Rawal Med Coll Jan ;19(1):11-4.

Background: To screen high risk groups for HIV/AIDS and Syphilis Methods: In this cross sectional study high risk groups , i.e., transgenders, female sex workers (FSW), males sex workers (MSW), intravenous drug users (IVDUs) and long run truck drivers were screened for HIV and Syphilis. One hundred and twenty six samples were analyzed during study. Serum from all concerned subjects was analysed for HIV and Syphilis testing by Immuno Chromatography Technique. Positive samples of HIV were confirmed by ELISA method. Syphilis ultra rapid test device, a qualitative membrane based immunoassay for detection of Treponema pallidum antibodies IgG/IgM, was used for Syphilis screening . Results:Total 126 volunteers were screened for HIV/AIDS and Syphilis. Majority of the individuals were in productive years of their lives.A very high ratio of syphilis (76.9%) and HIV (23.0%) was seen in transgender population. IDUs were 16.6% Syphilis positive and 33.3 % HIV positive due to needle sharing. MSW were 27.27 % Syphilis positive and 0 % HIV positive. FSW were 20% syphilis positive and 0% HIV positive. Truck drivers were 3.12% Syphilis positive and none was HIV positive. Risk behaviours were common in these groups and knowledge of HIV and sexually transmitted diseases (STI) was extremely low. Protection against risk was low, but those sex workers who reported using condoms at last sex had lower rates of infection. Conclusion: The prevalence of sexually transmitted diseases in high risk groups points towards adopting preventive and interventional strategies .

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