Relationship between syphilis and HIV infections among men who have sex with men in Beijing, China.
BACKGROUND
Little is known about risk of HIV and other STDs among men who have sex with men (MSM) in China.


OBJECTIVE
To survey the prevalence and risk factors of HIV and syphilis and evaluate correlation of two infections among MSM in the Chinese capital city.


METHODS
A community-based sample of 526 MSM was recruited in 2005 through Internet advertising, community outreach, and peer referring. Interviewer-administered interviews were conducted to collect information on demographics and sexual and other risk behaviors, and blood samples were collected to test for syphilis and HIV infections.


RESULTS
Seventeen (3.2%) participants were HIV seropositive and 59 (11.2%) syphilis seropositive. Sixty-four percent of participants were migrants who did not have Beijing residence. Forty percent had >10 lifetime male sex partners and 28.8% reported having ever had sex with women. Consistent condom use with primary male sex partners ranged from 21% to 24%, with nonprimary male sex partners from 35% to 42%, and with female partners around 33%. Illicit drug use was not common; only 2.5% reported using Ecstasy or ketamine in the past 6 months. Multivariate logistic regression analyses demonstrated that >10 lifetime male sex partners were independently associated with seropositivity of both syphilis (OR, 1.9; 95% CI, 1.1-3.4) and HIV (OR, 4.3; 95% CI, 1.4-13.6). In addition, HIV infection is significantly associated with syphilis seropositivity (OR, 3.8; 95% CI, 1.3-10.8).


CONCLUSIONS
High mobility, multiple sexual partners, and high prevalence of unprotected sex behaviors and syphilis infection suggest a potential rapid spread of HIV in Chinese MSM.
Ruan
Yuhua
Y
State Key Laboratory for Infectious Disease Prevention and Control, and National Center for AIDS/STD Control and Prevention, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Beijing, China.
Li
Dongliang
D
Li
Xinxu
X
Qian
Han-Zhu
HZ
Shi
Wei
W
Zhang
Xiaoxi
X
Yang
Zhenkai
Z
Zhang
Xiaoyan
X
Wang
Chen
C
Liu
Yingjie
Y
Yu
Miao
M
Xiao
Dong
D
Hao
Chun
C
Xing
Hui
H
Hong
Kunxue
K
Shao
Yiming
Y
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002681:China / Q000453:epidemiology; D019058:Community Networks; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D018451:Homosexuality, Male; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors; D012309:Risk-Taking; D013587:Syphilis / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D014504:Urban Health