Lubrication use in condom promotion among commercial sex workers and their clients in Ratchaburi, Thailand.

Condom promotion has been intensified in Thailand to prevent the spread of HIV. A water soluble lubricant (WSL) could be used to alleviate many unpleasant side effects of frequent condom use experienced by sex workers and their clients. This study was conducted to determine the efficacy of WSL use in preventing the side effects of condom use including condom breakage, and to assess the acceptance of WSLs within the sex-worker population. The results of this study showed that 83 (111) of the 134 sex workers reported use of the WSL provided during the study period and more than 95 per cent (106) expressed interest in employing the WSL regularly, saying that WSLs reduce unpleasant side-effects relating to frequent condom use. Also 70 per cent of them reported that the majority of their clients found using the WSL made condom use more enjoyable. A follow-up study showed that 57 per cent of the respondents were still using a WSL on a regular basis and all of them felt it reduced condom breakage. Therefore, WSL use should be an acceptable and useful method for alleviating problems associated with regular use of condoms within the sex-worker population. In addition, there is evidence that WSLs can reduce the incidence of condom breakage. Thus, WSLs could be valuable tools in condom promotion for AIDS control within this high risk population and their clients.

Prevalence of HTLV-III/LAV antibody in selected populations in Thailand.

Antibody to the human T-lymphotropic virus, type III/lymphadenopathy-associated virus (HTLV-III/LAV) by ELISA test was detected in one (1%) of 101 male homosexual prostitutes (confidence limit 95%:0.03-5.4%, in two (2%) of 100 thalassemia patients, and in none (C.L. 95%:0-3.6%) of 100 female prostitutes, 99 parenteral drug abusers, 100 male VD patients, 100 consecutive blood donors in serum collected from February through June 1985. Serum from the positive homosexual subject was strongly positive on repeated ELISA testing, and was also positive by Western Blot test. The two thalassemia patients, who were repeatedly weakly-positive by ELISA, were negative by Western Blot test and presumed to be false positive reactors. Prevalence of HTLV-III/LAV virus in sexually-active homosexuals in Thailand in 1985 appears to be similar to the 1% rate among homosexuals in San Francisco in 1978 at the start of the AIDS epidemic there.