Heterosexual HIV transmission

Heterosexual transmission of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) in New York City is principally a phenomenon of the urban inner city, where a large number of infected current or former drug addicts live in close social and sexual contact with inner-city women. These women are at high risk for sexual acquisition of HIV. Evidence of heterosexual transmission is already apparent in the high levels of infection in STD (sexually transmitted disease) clinics and has been noted in a New York State Department of Health study showing that 1 of every 61 women who gave birth in New York City was infected. This problem will increase and will be associated with the derivative problems of pediatric acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). Intense targeted counseling, education, and voluntary testing of inner-city populations, combined with additional drug treatment resources, are essential if the rate of heterosexual transmission is to be decreased.