Incidence rates of human immunodeficiency virus and syphilis as well as the rate of retention in a 6-month follow-up study of female sex workers in areas with heavy drug use in Xichang of Sichuan province, China / 中华流行病学杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and syphilis incidence rates as well as the retention rate in a cohort with 6-month follow-up study among female sex workers (FSWs).</p><p><b>METHODS</b>From December, 2004, to January, 2005, a community-based baseline survey was conducted to recruit 343 FSWs for a prospective cohort study in Xichang county of Sichuan province, China. Follow-up visits were conducted at 6 months to analyze risk factors associated with cohort retention for subjects' baseline sociodemographic and sexual behavioral characteristics. Blood specimens were also collected to test antibodies against HIV and syphilis.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>During the 6-month follow-up period, HIV and syphilis incidence appeared to be 1.00 per 100 person-years and 6.23 per 100 person-years, respectively. The rate of retention in the cohort was 53.6% (184/343). Results from multivariate logistic regression model showed that factors were significantly associated with cohort retention including people with minority ethnic background (OR = 0.36; 95% CI: 0.18-0.74), people having participated in AIDS prevention program (OR = 1.83; 95% CI: 1.17-2.86) or being clients in the last 6 months > or = 50 (OR = 1.75; 95% CI: 1.11-2.77) and having changed living/working place (OR = 0.56; 95% CI: 0.33-0.94).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>The results of this study showed that the syphilis incidence and unprotected sex behavior were high among local FSWs. People belonged to Han nationality, having participated in AIDS prevention program and having a steady living/working place were associated with cohort retention at 6-month follow-up study among FSWs, respectively.</p>

Study on the relationship between hepatitis C virus infection and sharing injection equipment, sexual behavior among injecting drug users / 中华流行病学杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To study hepatitis C virus (HCV) transmission through different modes of sharing injection equipment and sexual behavior among injecting drug users (IDUs) in Liangshan of Sichuan province.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>A community-based survey was conducted to investigate past and current demographic data, injection equipment sharing patterns and sexual behavior of IDUs. Blood samples were also taken to test for HCV. The survey was conducted between Nov 8 and Nov 29, 2002. 379 subjects were screened through outreach recruitment and peer informing. SPSS (11.5) was used for data analysis.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>HCV prevalence was 71.0% (269/379). Needles or syringes sharing in the past three months and past syphilis infection were strongly associated with HCV transmission after univariate analysis using chi-square test. Trend analysis indicated that HCV infection rate increased along with the increase of needles or syringes sharing, sharing of rinse water and the number of peers sharing the equipments. Data from multivariate logistic regression showed that sharing of needles or syringes and history of syphilis infection were significantly associated with HCV transmission. No significant difference was found between HCV infection and sexual behavior after univariate analysis using chi-square test.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Further sero-epidemiological prospective cohort studies should be conducted to clarify the relationship between different modes of sharing injection equipment, sexual behavior and HCV infection.</p>