Abhilasha

Title : What are the most prevalent bacterial, viral, fungal, and PID infections in women living with HIV, and how are they detected?

Abstract:

There are currently an estimated 39.0 million people living with HIV around the world. Sexually transmitted infections, also known as STDs, continue to be a major public health challenge in developing countries. The prevalence of STIs, including bacterial (Chlamydia trachomatis, Trichomonas vaginalis, Neisseria gonorrhoeae, Treponema pallidum and bacterial vaginosis), viral (Human papillomavirus, cytomegalovirus, herpes simplex virus and hepatitis), fungal (Candidiasis and Tinea cruris) and PID infections can be higher in women living with HIV (WLHIV) compared to the general population. This is because people with HIV may be more susceptible to STIs due to a weakened immune system. Additionally, engaging in high-risk sexual behaviours can also increase the risk of contracting STIs. Even though STIs can have major side effects, the positive aspect is that many of these issues can be avoided by conducting adequate screening in high-risk persons when there is a strong suspicion of infection. However, the test procedures must meet the requirements for the cost, accessibility, speed, sensitivity, specificity, and handling ease. The outcomes need to be reliable, quick, and economical. 

Biography:

Dr. Abhilasha received her M.Sc. in Biotechnology from the Kumaun University Nainital, India, in 2012. She later joined Prof. Shyam Sundar's research group at the Department of Medicine, Institute of Medical Sciences, Banaras Hindu University (IMS-BHU), and project titled “Tropical Medicine Research CentersNational Institutes of Health (NIH-TMRC P36/10) Visceral Leishmaniasis in Bihar State, India. She was completed her PhD from the same university under the supervision of Prof. (Dr.) Madhyukar Rai thesis entitled “Molecular Studies on PLHIV in Eastern Indian Population”. She worked as a lecturer at Chhatrapati Shahu Ji Maharaj University in Kanpur for a year at the Institute of Biosciences & Biotechnology.   She presently has an Associate Professorship at the Kanpur Institute of Technology (KIT), located in Kanpur, India