Potential for HIV transmission through unsafe injections.
We tested for HIV in discarded needles and syringe washes from 191 HIV-infected patients receiving injections in rural Cameroon. HIV-1 RNA was amplified from 34 of 103 intravenous injection syringes and two of 88 intramuscular injection syringes. All 36 strains were HIV-1 group M. The majority belonged to the circulating recombinant form CRF02 (IbNg). Our data support a role for unsafe injections in the spread of HIV-1 in Africa, in contrast to recent studies.
Apetrei
Cristian
C
Tulane National Primate Research Center, Covington, LA 70433, USA.
Becker
Joseph
J
Metzger
Michael
M
Gautam
Rajeev
R
Engle
John
J
Wales
Anne Katherine
AK
Eyong
M
M
Enyong
Peter
P
Sama
Martyn
M
Foley
Brian T
BT
Drucker
Ernest
E
Marx
Preston A
PA
D002163:Cameroon / Q000453:epidemiology; D015752:Genes, env / Q000235:genetics; D015750:Genes, gag / Q000235:genetics; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000235:genetics / Q000635:transmission*; D015497:HIV-1 / Q000235:genetics; D006801:Humans; D007273:Injections, Intramuscular / Q000009:adverse effects; D007275:Injections, Intravenous / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000295:instrumentation; D009339:Needles / Q000821:virology; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000032:analysis; D012423:Rural Health; D016415:Sequence Alignment; D013594:Syringes / Q000821:virology
D012367:RNA, Viral