Abstract
Background: Sexually transmitted infections (STIs) diagnosis, treatment and management programmes have existed for many decades worldwide. Cancer of cervix diagnosis, treatment and management is however a newer phenomenon compared to STIs. Globally, it is estimated that 568,847 women in their reproductive age are diagnosed with cancer of the cervix and an estimated 311,365 deaths occur annually. Concurrently 499 million cases of STIs occur annually. This high burden of the infections if intervention measures are not put in place, the cases may increase into many folds in the coming future.
Objective: This study sought to investigate the influence of STIs in the histopathological outcomes among sexually active women attending Machakos Cancer Care and Research Centre.
Methods: The study design applied cross-sectional design to achieve this objective. It involved women who were sexually active and consented to the study voluntarily. The study involved STIs testing and histopathology analysis.
Result: The total number of participants who consented to the study after being informed about the consequences and the importance of the research were one hundred and seventy-six. The mean age of the participants was 40.6 years, a median of 43 and a range of 22-58 years. In overall 55 % of the participants had positive STIs outcomes while 44 % of the same population had an abnormal cervical histopathology outcome. The majority of the abnormal histopathology outcomes were among women aged 40 years and above. STIs were distributed in all ages. HPV and HIV were pathogen of interest because their influence was statistically significant.
Conclusion: This current study has revealed that STIs infections are very important agents of interest in establishment and progression of cancer of the cervix within the cervical walls of the sexually active women. HPV and HIV were highest influencers of histopathological outcomes in this study.
Keywords: Cancer of the Cervix, Cervical Intraepithelial Neoplasia, Histopathology, Human Immunodeficiency Syndrome (HIV), Human papillomavirus (HPV), Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs).
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Corresponding Author
Munyoki Nyamai
Department of Medical Laboratory Sciences, Masinde Muliro University of Science and Technology, P. O. Box 190-50100, Kakamega, Kenya
DOI: https://dx.doi.org/10.18535/jmscr/v10i7.12
