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High Rates of Transmission of Subtype E Human Immunodeficiency Virus Type 1 among Heterosexual Couples in Northern Thailand: Role of Sexually Transmitted Diseases and Immune Compromise

1999; Oxford University Press; Volume: 180; Issue: 2 Linguagem: Inglês

10.1086/314882

1537-6613

Kenrad E. Nelson, Kittipong Rungruengthanakit, Joseph B. Margolick, Vinai Suriyanon, Somchai Niyomthai, Melanie A. de Boer, Surinda Kawichai, Valerie A. Robison, David D. Celentano, Tippavan Nagachinta, Ann Duerr,

Sex work and related issues

The heterosexual transmission of subtype E human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) infection was evaluated in 467 couples in Thailand in whom the man was HIV-1 positive and the woman had no risk factors for HIV other than sex with her infected partner. At baseline, 216 (46.3%) of the 467 women were positive for HIV-1: 52.2% had male partners with CD4+ lymphocyte counts of <200 cells/µL, 45.9% had partners with counts of 200–499, and 39.2% had partners with counts of ⩾500. Women were twice as likely to be HIV positive if their male partners had a history of a sexually transmitted disease (STD); however, their HIV prevalence was 29% among couples who had no STD history. We conclude that female partners of men infected with subtype E HIV-1 are at high risk of infection even when the man's CD4+ cell count is relatively high. A high rate of STDs may contribute significantly to this risk.