Visual diagnosis of female genital schistosomiasis in Zambian women from hand-held colposcopy: agreement of expert image review and association with clinical symptoms.

Female genital schistosomiasis (FGS) can occur in   infection and is caused by egg deposition in the genital tract. Confirming a diagnosis of FGS is challenging due to the lack of a diagnostic reference standard. A 2010 expert-led consensus meeting proposed visual inspection of the cervicovaginal mucosa as an adequate reference standard for FGS diagnosis.

The Presence of Hemoglobin in Cervicovaginal Lavage Is Not Associated With Genital Schistosomiasis in Zambian Women From the BILHIV Study.

Background: Female genital schistosomiasis (FGS) occurs when eggs are deposited in reproductive tissue. Female genital schistosomiasis in the cervical mucosa is associated with increased vascularity. If FGS is associated with the presence of hemoglobin in cervicovaginal lavage (CVL), the use of urinary reagent strips to detect hemoglobin in CVL could supplement FGS diagnosis.

Association of Female Genital Schistosomiasis With the Cervicovaginal Microbiota and Sexually Transmitted Infections in Zambian Women.

Background: The cervicovaginal microbiota, including sexually transmitted infections (STIs), have not been well described in female genital schistosomiasis (FGS).

Methods: Women (aged 18-31, sexually active, nonpregnant) were invited to participate at the final follow-up of the HPTN 071 (PopART) Population Cohort in January-August 2018. We measured key species of the cervicovaginal microbiota (, , , , and ) and STIs (, , , and ) using quantitative PCR (qPCR).

Female Genital Schistosomiasis and HIV-1 Incidence in Zambian Women: A Retrospective Cohort Study.

Background: Female genital schistosomiasis (FGS) has been associated with prevalent HIV-1. We estimated the incidence of HIV-1 infection in Zambian women with and without FGS.

Methods: Women (aged 18-31, nonpregnant, sexually active) were invited to participate in this study in January-August 2018 at the final follow-up of the HPTN 071 (PopART) Population Cohort.

Cervicovaginal Immune Activation in Zambian Women With Female Genital Schistosomiasis.

HIV-1 infection disproportionately affects women in sub-Saharan Africa, where areas of high HIV-1 prevalence and endemicity largely overlap. Female genital schistosomiasis (FGS), an inflammatory disease caused by egg deposition in the genital tract, has been associated with prevalent HIV-1 infection. Elevated levels of the chemokines MIP-1α (CCL-3), MIP-1β (CCL-4), IP-10 (CXCL-10), and IL-8 (CXCL-8) in cervicovaginal lavage (CVL) have been associated with HIV-1 acquisition.