Venereology, Volume 3, Issue 3 (September 2024) – 4 articles

Background: Condoms have proven to be an effective contraceptive barrier method of family planning and have played a vital role in preventing sexually transmitted diseases including HIV. However, existing evidence shows that utilization of condoms remains low, especially among youth and adolescents. We aimed to determine the condom use rate and associated factors among the students of Gulu University in Uganda. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among undergraduate students of Gulu University between June and December 2023. The students were accessed from their respective faculties and chosen using a simple random sampling method. Data were collected using a pretested self-administered structured questionnaire. Condom use was defined as use of either male or female condom in any sexual encounter within the previous six months. Results: A total of 404 participants, with a median age of 23 years (interquartile range (21.5–24) years) were enrolled in this study, 54.2% (n = 219) of whom were men. The response rate of the respondents was 94.1%. Overall, 81.4% (n = 329) of the participants were in senior classes (year 2, 3, 4, and 5), and 18.6% (n = 75) were in their first year of study. The condom use rate was 53.7% (n = 217). Condom use rate was 50.2% (n = 109) among male and 49.8% (n = 108) among female students. Sex (men) (aPR = 0.82, 95% CI = 0.71, 0.95, p = 0.01), nature of sexual relationship (married) (aPR = 1.4, 95% CI = 1.07, 1.85, p < 0.015), place of HIV testing (University health unit) (aPR =1.22, 95% CI = 1.06, 1.41, p = 0.005), and having sex in the absence of condoms (aPR = 1.22, 95% CI = 1.01, 1.46, p = 0.021) were significantly associated with consistent condom use. Conclusions: Just over half of undergraduate students of Gulu University used condoms in their sexual encounters in the past six months. There should be heightened campaigns on condom use to prevent unintended pregnancies and sexually transmitted infections. Full article

Living with chronic health conditions such as HIV has implications for health-related quality of life (HRQoL) and improving the HRQoL of people living with HIV (PLWH) is becoming increasingly important for researchers, policymakers, and health practitioners. However, there is limited research on factors that help to explain HRQoL among persons with HIV in sub-Saharan Africa. We examined the contributions of emotion regulation and self-compassion in the HRQoL of 187 PLWH (56.1% female) drawn from the HIV clinic in a specialist hospital in southeast Nigeria. They completed the Brief Version of the Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale (DERS-18), Self-compassion Scale, and Patient-Reported Outcome Quality of Life-HIV (PROQOL-HIV). While controlling for participants’ demographic variables, the regression results showed that self-compassion was positively associated with HRQoL. Higher difficulties in emotion regulation were not associated with HRQoL in the presence of self-compassion. The findings extend the outcomes of previous research in other parts of the world and support the notion that enhancing self-compassion interventions may shore up the HRQoL of people living with chronic health conditions. HRQoL interventions that embody culturally informed self-compassion strategies and developmental level approach are needed for the health system in sub-Saharan Africa. Full article

Gardnerella vaginalis is a Gram-variable bacillus capable of causing bacterial vaginosis, a condition prevalent in reproductive-age women, this bacterium is present in almost 100% of cases and is also considered a gateway to various sexually transmitted infections. This organism exhibits high pathogenicity linked to virulence and resistance genes acquired throughout evolution, showcasing elevated resistance to a broad spectrum of drug classes. This study conducted comparative genomic analyses to identify these genes and correlate their presence with positive Darwinian selection. Additionally, new drug targets were selected through docking and molecular modeling, guided by the heightened antimicrobial resistance exhibited by this microbial species. The available genomes of G. vaginalis were analyzed, and the orthologous genes were delineated and positively selected, whereby 29 groups were found. Of these genes, one of great importance was predicted, Mef(A), which is related to resistance to the macrolide group of antibiotics, which are one of the main choices for the treatment of sexually transmitted infections. Additionally, two potential protein candidates were selected as drug targets. These proteins were linked with a natural compound each and are considered good potential drug targets. The analyses in this study contribute to analyzing the evolution of the species and how resistance genes are related to their permanence as a potential pathogen. Full article

Trichomonas vaginalis infection represents the most prevalent non-viral, curable parasitic sexually transmitted infection (STI) worldwide. The demand for precise and cost-effective point-of-care (POC) tests is paramount in the pursuit of STI epidemic control, ensuring expeditious patient diagnosis and therapeutic interventions. In the present study, we searched academic databases, including PubMed (US National Library of Medicine and the National Institutes of Health), Scopus, and Web of Science, employing the following keywords: “Trichomonas vaginalis”, “diagnosis”, “point-of-care tests”, and “rapid diagnosis”, to provide information about the development and effectiveness of POC tests to identify T. vaginalis. Present assays for T. vaginalis exhibit suboptimal performance, and the integration of advanced technologies, notably nanotechnologies, emerges as a formidable instrumentality for augmenting diagnostic precision while curtailing expenditure. In this review, we provide an encompassing survey of cutting-edge POC tests for T. vaginalis diagnosis and offer an outlook on future prospects in this domain. Full article