SynthesisAIDS (London, England)2008
Bacterial vaginosis and HIV acquisition: a meta-analysis of published studies.
Synthesis in AIDS (London, England), 2008. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. It is linked to 2 registered trials, which are not on this map. Cited by 411 papers, 4 of them syntheses that pooled it.
What it found
Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.
The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Effects of a Vaginal Contraceptive Ring on Vaginal Microbiota and Local Immunity
Effects of Contraceptive Ring on Vaginal Microbiota, HIV Shedding and Local Immunity
Who cites it
411 citing papers in PubMed, 4 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 693 citations in OpenAlex.
- Effect of menstrual cups on vaginal health, reproductive tract and urogenital infections: a systematic review and meta-analysis.EBioMedicine · 2026Pooled it
- Risk of HSV-2 Acquisition Among Women with Bacterial Vaginosis: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.Viruses · 2026Pooled it
- Prevalence of curable STIs and bacterial vaginosis during pregnancy in sub-Saharan Africa: a systematic review and meta-analysis.Sexually transmitted infections · 2022Pooled it
- Sexually Transmitted Infections Treatment Guidelines, 2021.MMWR. Recommendations and reports : Morbidity and mortality weekly report. Recommendations and reports · 2021Guideline
- Impact of Vaginal Estradiol on the Genitourinary Syndrome of Menopause, Vaginal Microbiome and Mucosal Immune Mediators in Women With HIV.Clinical infectious diseases : an official publication of the Infectious Diseases Society of America · 2026Trial
- Vaginal microbiota impacts of a Lactobacillus crispatus live biotherapeutic and predictors of colonization in randomized controlled trial.Cell host & microbe · 2026Trial
- Trial
- Vaginal Bacteria and Proinflammatory Host Immune Mediators as Biomarkers of Human Immunodeficiency Virus Acquisition Risk Among African Women.The Journal of infectious diseases · 2024Trial
- Vaginal microbiota stability over 18 months in young student women in France.European journal of clinical microbiology & infectious diseases : official publication of the European Society of Clinical Microbiology · 2024Trial
- Trial
- Efficacy and Safety of MED-01 Probiotics on Vaginal Health: A 12-Week, Multicenter, Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Clinical Trial.Nutrients · 2023Trial
- Sustained effect of LACTIN-V (Lactobacillus crispatus CTV-05) on genital immunology following standard bacterial vaginosis treatment: results from a randomised, placebo-controlled trial.The Lancet. Microbe · 2022Trial
- Metronidazole treatment rapidly reduces genital inflammation through effects on bacterial vaginosis-associated bacteria rather than lactobacilli.The Journal of clinical investigation · 2022Trial
- Vaginal Microbiota and Mucosal Pharmacokinetics of Tenofovir in Healthy Women Using a 90-Day Tenofovir/Levonorgestrel Vaginal Ring.Frontiers in cellular and infection microbiology · 2022Trial
- Comparing BD Affirm VPIII to Xpert Xpress MVP and BD MAX Vaginal Panel for the diagnosis of vaginal infections.Microbiology spectrum · 2026Article
- Comparative proteomics reveal striking differences in biofilm formation and virulence potential ofJournal of bacteriology · 2026Article
- The cervicovaginal microbiome: an emerging determinant of HPV infection and disease.Journal of virology · 2026Review
- Review
- High Burden of Vaginal Infections and Multidrug Resistance With Promising Probiotic Candidates From Cervicovaginal Microbiota in North Region, Cameroon.Probiotics and antimicrobial proteins · 2026Article
- Special Issue: New Horizons in HIV and Reproductive Health Research: HIV Acquisition and Reproductive Health in Key Populations.American journal of reproductive immunology (New York, N.Y. : 1989) · 2026Review
351 more citing papers are in PubMed but not listed here.
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
5 authors at 2 institutions in 2 countries.
Funding
Abstract
objectivesTo assess and summarize the published literature on the extent to which bacterial vaginosis may increase the risk of HIV acquisition.
designMeta-analysis of published studies.
methodsMedline and other electronic databases were systematically searched for eligible publications. The association between bacterial vaginosis and incident HIV was separately analyzed from that between bacterial vaginosis and prevalent HIV. The latter was further analyzed, stratified by bacterial vaginosis diagnostic method, HIV risk profile of the study population, and whether or not adjusted estimates were presented.
resultsTwenty-three eligible publications were identified, including a total of 30,739 women. Bacterial vaginosis was associated with an increased risk of HIV acquisition in HIV-incidence studies (relative risk = 1.6, 95% confidence interval: 1.2, 2.1). All but one of 21 HIV-prevalence studies reported estimates above the null. The latter results were heterogeneous and showed some evidence of funnel plot asymmetry, precluding the estimation of a single summary measure. The association between bacterial vaginosis and HIV in prevalence studies appeared stronger for women without high-risk sexual behavior.
conclusionBacterial vaginosis was consistently associated with an increased risk of HIV infection. High bacterial vaginosis prevalence may result in a high number of HIV infections being attributable to bacterial vaginosis. More prospective studies are needed to accurately evaluate the role of bacterial vaginosis in HIV acquisition in low-risk versus high-risk women. Furthermore, randomized clinical trials may be worth considering to determine the effect of bacterial vaginosis control measures on HIV acquisition.
Indexed as
Identifiers
What OpenQuestion holds
Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.