title: Trends in HIV infection in the First Affiliated Hospital of Harbin, China.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Major hospitals in most Chinese cities have the capability to perform HIV testing. However, it is not a routine test for all patients and, as a result, many patients are not aware of their HIV status. To understand the rate of HIV infection and the factors associated with infection, we tested serum to determine HIV status and analyzed factors associated with HIV infection.
  
  
  METHODS
  We collected blood samples from 348,151 patients who visited the First Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University from 1 January 2007 to 31 December 2012. Serum was screened with an ELISA. If the test was positive, we conducted two additional ELISAs: a repeat with the initial kit and one with another kit. If there was a positive result with either of these two ELISA kits, western blotting was performed at Harbin Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The HIV positivity rate of inpatients significantly increased during the course of this study. HIV infection in patients appeared to differ by sex, age, occupation, marital status, educational level, and route of infection. HIV was more prevalent in men than in women. More than 80% of HIV-positive patients had not received higher (>12 years) education. From 2007 to 2012, HIV-positive patients were mainly infected through sexual transmission. For sexually acquired infections, the rate of HIV infections through homosexual contact has increased rapidly in recent years, and ranged from 36.4% to 65.1%.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The number of patients diagnosed as HIV positive has increased in recent years. Offering routine HIV testing in hospitals is feasible and can increase linkage to HIV care and treatment for many individuals.
authors.affiliation: School of Life Sciences, Heilongjiang University, Harbin, Heilongjiang, 150081, People's Republic of China. xuhuafeng0523@aliyun.com.
authors.forename: Hua-Feng
authors.initials: HF
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.affiliation: Department of Laboratory Diagnosis, the First Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, 23 Youzheng Street, Nangang District, Harbin, Heilongjiang, 150001, People's Republic of China. haizhouzhou@163.com.
authors.forename: Hai-Zhou
authors.initials: HZ
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.affiliation: Department of Laboratory Diagnosis, the First Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, 23 Youzheng Street, Nangang District, Harbin, Heilongjiang, 150001, People's Republic of China. jianglixin_hyd@yahoo.com.cn.
authors.forename: Li-Xin
authors.initials: LX
authors.lastname: Jiang
authors.affiliation: Department of Laboratory Diagnosis, the First Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, 23 Youzheng Street, Nangang District, Harbin, Heilongjiang, 150001, People's Republic of China. zhangna_hyd@yahoo.com.cn.
authors.forename: Na
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Department of Laboratory Diagnosis, the First Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, 23 Youzheng Street, Nangang District, Harbin, Heilongjiang, 150001, People's Republic of China. zhangxuan_hyd@yahoo.com.cn.
authors.forename: Xuan
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Department of Laboratory Diagnosis, the First Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, 23 Youzheng Street, Nangang District, Harbin, Heilongjiang, 150001, People's Republic of China. guanxiuru0451@163.com.
authors.forename: Xiu-Ru
authors.initials: XR
authors.lastname: Guan
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D002681:China / Q000453:epidemiology; D004522:Educational Status; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D006784:Hospitals, Teaching / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D017533:Marital Status; D008403:Mass Screening; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D017678:Sex Distribution; D012725:Sexual Behavior; D055815:Young Adult