HIV-2 strikes injecting drug users (IDUs) in India.
Manipur, a north-eastern state of India bordering Myanmar, observed introduction of HIV-1 among fairly large number of IDUs in October 1989, followed by rapid spread within the next 6 months. HIV-2 in injectors was not present until recently, though it was detected from other parts of India in 1991. This communication reports for the first time presence of HIV-2 among young injectors of Manipur. All the HIV-2 infected IDUs were also found to be infected with HIV-1. HIV-2 has affected a large number of people in Africa through heterosexual transmission. It remains to be seen whether HIV-2 spreads rapidly also among the drug-injecting population of Manipur. Observation of the disease progression among HIV-2 infected IDUs will also be of interest.
Singh
N B
NB
Microbiology Dept., Regional Medical College, Imphal, Manipur, India.
Panda
S
S
Naik
T N
TN
Agarwal
A
A
Singh
H L
HL
Singh
Y I
YI
Deb
B C
BC
D000163:Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000635:transmission / Q000821:virology*; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D006679:HIV Seropositivity / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000821:virology; D015497:HIV-1 / Q000302:isolation & purification; D015498:HIV-2 / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D006801:Humans; D007194:India / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D015819:Substance Abuse, Intravenous / Q000150:complications*