title: Outcome of partner notification of HIV infection in a provincial clinic in East Anglia, UK.
abstract: A retrospective study of outcome of partner notification and contact tracing in the cohort of newly diagnosed HIV/AIDS patients seen in the Bure Clinic from 1997 to 2004 was undertaken. There were 17 women, median age (years) 31, range (18-44) and 43 men, median age (years) 37, range (3-61). Self-reported ethnic groups were 17 (28.3%) Africans, two (3.3%) Asians and 41 (68.3%) Caucasians. Partner notification index was 51.7% (95% confidence interval [CI] 38.4-64.8%). Africans and Asians (76%) were more likely to bring in their partners than Caucasians (39%) and this was statistically significant (x2 = 8.63, P = 0.01). The Caucasians (61%), who did not bring in their partner, were more likely to be oil workers who had acquired their infection in Africa and Asia (likelihood ratio 11.59, P = 0.02), confirmed by their viral clade. In our cohort, Caucasian heterosexual men, mostly oil workers who acquire their infections elsewhere, contribute to the low partner notification index. To date, non-B clade virus has not been transmitted locally among newly diagnosed patients seen from our low sero-prevalence catchment population.
authors.affiliation: Bure Clinic, James Paget University Hospital NHS Trust, Great Yarmouth NR31 6LA, UK. tcharry@bureclinic.com
authors.forename: Tubonye C
authors.initials: TC
authors.lastname: Harry
authors.forename: Margaret
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sillis
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D016358:Contact Tracing / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005006:Ethnicity; D005260:Female; D006678:HIV / Q000145:classification / Q000302:isolation & purification; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D006302:Health Services Research; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D006113:United Kingdom / Q000453:epidemiology