title: Associations between herpes simplex virus type 2 and HCV With HIV among injecting drug users in New York City: the current importance of sexual transmission of HIV.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  We examined relationships between herpes simplex virus type 2 (HSV-2), a biomarker for sexual risk, and HCV, a biomarker for injecting risk, with HIV among injecting drug users (IDUs) who began injecting after large-scale expansion of syringe exchange programs in New York City.
  
  
  METHODS
  We recruited 337 heroin and cocaine users who began injecting in 1995 or later from persons entering drug detoxification. We administered a structured interview covering drug use and HIV risk behavior and collected serum samples for HIV, HCV, and HSV-2 testing.
  
  
  RESULTS
  HIV prevalence was 8%, HSV-2 39%, and HCV 55%. We found a significant association between HSV-2 and HIV (odds ratio [OR] = 7.9; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 2.9, 21.4) and no association between HCV and HIV (OR = 1.14; 95% CI = 0.5, 2.6). Black IDUs had the highest prevalence of HSV-2 (76%) and HIV (24%) but the lowest prevalence of HCV (34%).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Most HIV infections among these IDUs occurred through sexual transmission. The relative importance of injecting versus sexual transmission of HIV may be critical for understanding racial/ethnic disparities in HIV infection.
authors.affiliation: Beth Israel Medical Center, Baron Edmond de Rothschild Chemical Dependency Institute, New York, NY 10038, USA.
authors.forename: Don C
authors.initials: DC
authors.lastname: Des Jarlais
authors.forename: Kamyar
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Arasteh
authors.forename: Courtney
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: McKnight
authors.forename: Holly
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Hagan
authors.forename: David C
authors.initials: DC
authors.lastname: Perlman
authors.forename: Salaam
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Semaan
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D016001:Confidence Intervals; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000150:complications* / Q000821:virology; D015528:HIV Seroprevalence; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000150:complications* / Q000821:virology; D006561:Herpes Simplex / Q000150:complications* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000821:virology; D018258:Herpesvirus 2, Human; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009519:New York City / Q000453:epidemiology; D016017:Odds Ratio; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors; D016036:Seroepidemiologic Studies; D015229:Sexually Transmitted Diseases, Viral / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000635:transmission*; D015819:Substance Abuse, Intravenous / Q000150:complications / Q000821:virology*