title: Risk factors for HIV-1 infection in a British population: lessons from a London sexually transmitted diseases clinic.
abstract: Between September 1985 and June 1988, 6923 people (4550 men and 2373 women) were tested for HIV-1 antibodies at a sexually transmitted disease clinic, London, UK. Of the 6923 individuals tested, 558 (8%) were seropositive, of whom 523 (94%) were men and 35 (6%) women. Of the seropositives, 84% were homosexual or bisexual men, 5% were intravenous drug users, 4% were heterosexual contacts of HIV seropositives, 4% had multiple risk factors, 2% were heterosexual contacts of central African partners and 1% were heterosexuals with no other risk factors. This prevalence pattern conforms to that observed in other industrialized nations. For the women, heterosexual intercourse with an HIV-infected partner, intravenous drug use and heterosexual contact with a partner from central Africa were the main risk factors for infection. The important risk factors among the men were heterosexual contact with an HIV-seropositive partner, being homosexual or bisexual, intravenous drug use and heterosexual contact with a resident from central Africa. heterosexual and homosexual transmission were implicated as the main routes for viral spread in this British population.
authors.affiliation: Academic Department of Community Medicine, St Mary's Hospital Medical School, London, UK.
authors.forename: E J
authors.initials: EJ
authors.lastname: Beck
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Donegan
authors.forename: C S
authors.initials: CS
authors.lastname: Cohen
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Kenny
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Moss
authors.forename: G S
authors.initials: GS
authors.lastname: Underhill
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Terry
authors.forename: D J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Jeffries
authors.forename: A J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Pinching
authors.forename: D L
authors.initials: DL
authors.lastname: Miller
mesh_terms: D000163:Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome / Q000635:transmission*; D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D015483:HIV Antibodies / Q000032:analysis; D006679:HIV Seropositivity / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012307:Risk Factors; D012725:Sexual Behavior; D006113:United Kingdom
chemical_list: D015483:HIV Antibodies