The impact of syndromic treatment of sexually transmitted diseases on genital shedding of HIV-1.

Objectives: To examine the impact of sexually transmitted diseases (STD) syndromic treatment on genital shedding of HIV and the impact among women in whom STD treatment was not successful.

Design: Seventy-one HIV-infected women were included; 60 had symptomatic STD [72% with genital discharge syndrome (GDS) and 28% with genital ulcer syndrome (GUS)] and 11 controls did not have symptomatic STD. Cervical HIV load in 94% women was measured at baseline and after STD treatment.