Microbicides Development Program, Tanzania—Baseline Characteristics of an Occupational Cohort and Reattendance at 3 Months

In Brief Objectives: To determine baseline characteristics of an occupational cohort of women in Mwanza City, Tanzania, and factors associated with reattendance at 3 months, in preparation for a microbicide trial. Study Design: One thousand five hundred seventy-three women aged 16–54 years working in food outlets and recreational facilities were enrolled, interviewed, and examined at community-based reproductive health clinics, provided specimens for HIV/STI and pregnancy testing, and attended 3 monthly clinical follow-up. Results: Baseline prevalence of HIV was 25.5%; pregnancy 9.7%; herpes simplex virus type-2 74.6%; active syphilis 10.2%, bacterial vaginosis 52.6%; gonorrhea 5.5%; chlamydia 5.9%; and trichomoniasis 12.3%. Reattendance at 3 months was 74.1% and was higher in older women, less mobile women, and in those who received an HIV-negative result at enrollment. Conclusions: Baseline characteristics of this occupational group suggest their suitability for microbicide trials. A screening round, locally appropriate informed consent procedures, and effective community tracing may help reduce losses to follow-up in such settings. Women who work in bars, hotels, guesthouses, and as informal food vendors in Mwanza City, northwestern Tanzania are at high risk of STDs and HIV infection. The baseline characteristics of 1573 women recruited from this occupational group and retention patterns at 3 months suggest their suitability for future clinical trials of candidate vaginal microbicides for HIV prevention.