HIV among injecting drug users: current epidemiology, biologic markers, respondent-driven sampling, and supervised-injection facilities.
OBJECTIVE
To describe recent research done primarily during the past 12 months (i.e., primarily in 2008) on the epidemiology of HIV infection among injecting drug users (IDUs).


RESULTS
Major research developments include a global assessment of HIV infection among IDUs and evidence of a transition from epidemics concentrated among IDUs to generalized, heterosexual epidemics in eastern Europe and Asia. Intervention research also includes several studies of supervised-injecting facilities. Methodological research includes respondent-driven sampling and the use of hepatitis C virus and herpes simplex virus-2 as biomarkers for injecting and sexual risk.


CONCLUSIONS
There have been important advances in research during the past year, but HIV infection continues to spread rapidly across many areas of the world among IDUs and their nondrug-using sex partners.
Des Jarlais
Don C
DC
Beth Israel Medical Center, 160 Water Street, 24th Floor, New York, NY 10038, USA. dcdesjarla@aol.com
Arasteh
Kamyar
K
Semaan
Salaam
S
Wood
Evan
E
D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000635:transmission*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012307:Risk Factors; D015819:Substance Abuse, Intravenous / Q000150:complications*