title: Comparison of transmission rates of HIV-1 and HIV-2 in a cohort of prostitutes in Senegal.
abstract: To explore the biological similarities and differences between the HIV-1 and HIV-2 viruses, we model the probability of male-to-female transmission of either HIV virus as a function of the number of sexual partners, the prevalence of the viruses and the infectivity per contact. Using maximum likelihood estimation theory and data from a prospective study of registered female prostitutes in Dakar, Senegal, we estimate and compare the infectivities of HIV-1 and HIV-2. Graphical goodness-of-fit methods are used to show that our model fits the data well. We find that in male-to-female transmission HIV-1 is significantly more infectious than HIV-2. This finding is consistent with other data from laboratory and epidemiologic studies comparing the biology of HIV-1 and HIV-2.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biostatistics, Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, MA 02115.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Donnelly
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Leisenring
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Kanki
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Awerbuch
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sandberg
mesh_terms: D000163:Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000635:transmission*; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D015497:HIV-1; D015498:HIV-2; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008433:Mathematics; D015233:Models, Statistical; D015995:Prevalence; D011336:Probability; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012675:Senegal / Q000453:epidemiology; D011477:Sex Work