Dyspareunia, signs of epithelial disruption, sexual abstinence, and HIV status in female sex workers in Nairobi: a cross-sectional study.

Background: Epithelial trauma is a risk factor of HIV infection in men who have sex with men (MSM) and female sex workers (FSWs). Painful intercourse may be indicative of epithelial tissue disruption. Previous studies on a cohort of Kenyan FSWs established an association between prolonged sexual abstinence and late HIV seroconversion.