Heterosexual transmission of HIV in Trinidad and Tobago: a sexual partner study - abstract
DeGourville, Esther; Mabey, D; Quigley, M; Furlonge, C; Jack, Noreen; Mahabir, Bisram S.
West Indian med. j
; 43(suppl.1): 23, Apr. 1994.
Article
in English
| MedCarib | ID: med-5415
This study is an ongoing cross sectional survey aimed at determining factors associated with HIV infection in HIV-infected heterosexuals and bisexuals and their heterosexual partners. HIV-positive patients (index cases) were recruited when they attended the Queen's Park Counselling Centre and Clinic, the main clinic for sexually transmitted diseases in Trinidad. All subjects were required to give signed consent to participate in the study and respond to a questionnaire administered by an interviewer. Both partner notification (index cases refer partners) and provider notification (contact tracers locate partners) were used. A partner was defined as one who had had sexual intercourse with the index case up to 5 years preceding the interview. On enrolment, partners were counselled and offered an HIV test and a medical examination. Samples were screened by ELISA for HIV antibody and repeatedly reactive samples were confirmed, using immunofluorescence assay or Western Blot. Between September 14, 1992 and October 8, 1993, 192 index cases and 50 partners had been enrolled. Recruitment of partners was a challenge as the prospect of notification caused anxiety for many patients. Overall, HIV seroprevalence of sexual partners was 54 percent (27/50) and HIV seropositivity was significantly (p<0.05) associated with history of STDs and prostitution within the last 2 years. Genital ulcer diseases may be another risk factor (p<0.10). Cocaine use, though not itself associated with HIV seropositivity, was significantly associated with 2 of the 3 proposed risk factors, and may play an indirect role in HIV transmission (AU)
Responsible library:
JM3.1
Localization: JM3.1; R18.W4
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