HIV seroprevalence in street youth, St. Petersburg, Russia.
BACKGROUND
Reliable data on HIV infection among Russian street youth are unavailable. The purpose of this study was to assess HIV seroprevalence among street youth in St Petersburg and to describe social, sexual, and behavioral characteristics associated with HIV infection.


METHODS
A cross-sectional assessment conducted during January-May 2006 included city-wide mapping of 41 street youth locations, random selection of 22 sites, rapid HIV testing for all consenting 15-19-year-old male and female street youth at these sites, and an interviewer-administered survey. Adjusted odds ratios (AOR) were calculated using logistic regression, accounting for intracluster homogeneity.


RESULTS
Of 313 participants, 117 (37.4%, 95% confidence interval 26.1-50.2%) were HIV infected. Subgroups with the highest seroprevalences included double orphans (64.3%), those with no place to live (68.1%), those previously diagnosed with a sexually transmitted infection (STI; 70.5%), those currently sharing needles (86.4%), and those currently using inhalants (60.5%) or injection drugs (78.6%), including Stadol (82.3%) or heroin (78.1%). Characteristics independently associated with HIV infection included injecting drugs (AOR 23.0), sharing needles (AOR 13.3), being a double or single orphan (AOR 3.3 and 1.8), having no place to live (AOR 2.4), and being diagnosed with a STI (AOR 2.1). Most HIV-infected street youth were sexually active (96.6%), had multiple partners (65.0%), and used condoms inconsistently (80.3%).


CONCLUSIONS
Street youth aged 15-19 years in St Petersburg, Russia, have an extraordinarily high HIV seroprevalence. In street youth who are injection drug users, HIV seroprevalence is the highest ever reported for eastern Europe and is among the highest in the world.
Kissin
Dmitry M
DM
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia 30341, USA. dkissin@cdc.gov
Zapata
Lauren
L
Yorick
Roman
R
Vinogradova
Elena N
EN
Volkova
Galina V
GV
Cherkassova
Elena
E
Lynch
Allison
A
Leigh
Jennifer
J
Jamieson
Denise J
DJ
Marchbanks
Polly A
PA
Hillis
Susan
S
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D054540:Child, Orphaned; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology; D015528:HIV Seroprevalence; D018453:Homeless Youth; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D016485:Needle Sharing; D011203:Poverty; D012307:Risk Factors; D012426:Russia; D012742:Sex Offenses; D012749:Sexually Transmitted Diseases / Q000150:complications; D015819:Substance Abuse, Intravenous; D047568:Unsafe Sex