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Seroconversion in patients attending sexually transmitted disease clinics
W J Kassler1, J M Zenilman, B Erickson
1Division of STD/HIV Prevention, Centers for Disease Control, Atlanta, GA 30333.
AIDS (London, England)
|March 1, 1994
Summary
Recent HIV seroconverters in STD clinics show increasing heterosexual transmission. Gonorrhea diagnosis also elevates HIV risk, highlighting the need for aggressive HIV prevention in STD patients.
Area of Science:
- Epidemiology
- Public Health
- Infectious Diseases
Background:
- Sexually transmitted disease (STD) clinics are crucial sites for monitoring HIV transmission dynamics.
- Understanding recent human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) seroconverters is vital for public health interventions.
Purpose of the Study:
- To characterize recent HIV seroconverters within an STD clinic population.
- To investigate evolving HIV transmission patterns in this demographic.
Main Methods:
- A case-control study nested within a retrospective cohort of individuals attending Baltimore STD clinics (1988-1990).
- Seroconverters were compared to HIV-negative and prevalent HIV-positive controls, matched by sex, clinic, and HIV test month.
Main Results:
- 0.79% of patients tested twice showed HIV-1 seroconversion.
- Key risk factors included injecting drug use, male-to-male sexual contact, and sex with an HIV-infected partner.
- A significant association was found between gonorrhea diagnosis and HIV seroconversion.
Conclusions:
- Data suggest an increase in heterosexual HIV transmission within this inner-city STD clinic population.
- Incident STDs, particularly gonorrhea, appear to increase HIV infection risk.
- Aggressive HIV prevention efforts should target patients diagnosed with STDs.