[A prospective cohort study on human immunodeficiency virus and syphilis seroconversion among injecting drug users].
OBJECTIVE
To study the rate of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) seroconversion, HIV transmission and related risk factors among injecting drug users (IDUs) in an area of Sichuan province.


METHODS
In November 2002, a community-based baseline survey was conducted to recruit 333 HIV-seronegative IDUs for a prospective cohort study in Xichang county of Sichuan province, China. Follow-up visits were carried out every 6 months to study the situation of drug use, sexual behaviors of the IDUs and blood specimens were collected to test for antibodies against HIV and syphilis.


RESULTS
During a 24-month follow-up period, cohort retention rate and HIV incidence were 75.7% and 2.53 per 100 person-years [95% confidence interval (CI): 1.10-3.97)], respectively. Multivariate Poisson regression model showed that risk factors which were significantly associated with HIV seroconversion would include: ethnicity (RR = 12.42; 95% CI: 2.72-56.74, P = 0.0012) and needle or syringe sharing in the past 3 months (RR = 4.06; 95% CI: 1.29-12.81, P = 0.0168). Syphilis seroconversion in this cohort was 4.71 per 100 person-years (95% CI: 2.59-6.82). In multivariate Poisson regression being female (RR = 4.42; 95% CI: 1.78-10.99, P = 0.0014) appeared to be the only factor which was significantly associated with syphilis seroconversion.


CONCLUSIONS
Our study results showed that there was a rapid transmission of HIV and syphilis among IDUs in Sichuan province, suggesting that effective intervention should be urgently taken.
Yin
Lu
L
State Key Laboratory for Infectious Disease Prevention and Control, National Center for Sexually Transmitted Disease and Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome Prevention and Control, Chinese Center for Disease Prevention and Control, Beijing 100050, China.
Qin
Guang-ming
GM
Ruan
Yu-hua
YH
Zhang
Li
L
Hao
Qin-ning
QN
Chen
Xian-huang
XH
Jiang
Zheng-qing
ZQ
Song
Ben-li
BL
Liu
Shi-zhu
SZ
Cao
Xiao-yun
XY
Hao
Chun
C
Chen
Kang-lin
KL
Shao
Yi-ming
YM
D015331:Cohort Studies; D006679:HIV Seropositivity / Q000276:immunology* / Q000635:transmission; D006801:Humans; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D012725:Sexual Behavior; D015819:Substance Abuse, Intravenous; D013587:Syphilis / Q000276:immunology* / Q000635:transmission