Schistosoma mansoni infection and socio-behavioural predictors of HIV risk: a cross-sectional study in women from Uganda

Abstract

Intestinal schistosomiasis in adult women was associated with systemic immune alterations, suggesting that associations with immunological correlates of HIV susceptibility warrant further investigation. S. mansoni associations with socio-behavioral parameters and C. trachomatis, which may alter both genital immunity and HIV exposure and/or acquisition risk, means that future studies should carefully control for potential confounders. These findings have implications for the design and interpretation of clinical studies on the effects of schistosomiasis on HIV acquisition.