Prevalence of Infection Diagnosed by Polymerase Chain Reaction in Female Sex Workers in a Northern Mexican City.

Purpose: We aimed to determine the association between infection and female sex work, and the association between sociodemographic, obstetric, and behavioral characteristics of female sex workers and infection.

Methods: Through a case-control study design, we studied 201 female sex workers and 201 age-matched women without sex work in Durango City, Mexico. DNA was detected in cervical swab samples using polymerase chain reaction.

Results: DNA was detected in 32 (15.9%) of the 201 cases and in 6 (3.0%) of the 201 controls (odds ratio [OR] = 6.15; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 2.5-15.0; < 0.001). The frequency of infection with in female sex workers did not vary ( > 0.05) regardless of the history of pregnancies, deliveries, cesarean sections, or miscarriages. Regression analysis of the behavioral characteristics showed that infection with was associated only with consumption of alcohol (OR = 2.39; 95% CI: 1.0-5.71; = 0.04). Conclusions: We conclude that infection is associated with female sex work in Durango City, Mexico. This is the first age-matched case-control study on the prevalence of infection in female sex workers in Mexico using detection of DNA in cervical samples.