Question | Discussion | References | CME Credit

Case 4: STDs and HIV Transmission

You answered:

C Among sexually transmitted pathogens, only those organisms that cause genital ulcer disease are associated with an increased risk of HIV transmission.

This answer is incorrect. Both inflammatory STDs (such as gonorrhea, chlamydia, and trichomoniasis) and genital ulcer diseases (such as syphilis, chancroid, and genital herpes) increase the risk of HIV transmission.

A The presence of genital lesions caused by HSV in an HIV-infected person confers a major increase (up to 4-fold) in the risk of HIV transmission to a HIV-negative partner.
B If this patient’s HIV-negative sexual partner has a history of genital herpes, her current HSV infection would not place him at increased risk of acquiring HIV.
D Treatment of common sexually transmitted infections that cause cervicitis, including chlamydia and trichomoniasis, in HIV-infected women has not been shown to decrease genital shedding of HIV.

[Back to Case 4 Question | Go to Correct Answer]