Abstract
Objectives: We examined relationships between herpes simplex virus type 2 (HSV-2), a biomarker for sexual risk, and HCV, a biomarker for injecting risk, with HIV among injecting drug users (IDUs) who began injecting after large-scale expansion of syringe exchange programs in New York City. Methods: We recruited 337 heroin and cocaine users who began injecting in 1995 or later from persons entering drug detoxification. We administered a structured interview covering drug use and HIV risk behavior and collected serum samples for HIV, HCV, and HSV-2 testing. Results: HIV prevalence was 8%, HSV-2 39%, and HCV 55%. We found a significant association between HSV-2 and HIV (odds ratio [OR]=7.9; 95% confidence interval [CI]=2.9, 21.4) and no association between HCV and HIV (OR=1.14; 95% CI=0.5, 2.6). Black IDUs had the highest prevalence of HSV-2 (76%) and HIV (24%) but the lowest prevalence of HCV (34%). Conclusions: Most HIV infections among these IDUs occurred through sexual transmission. The relative importance of injecting versus sexual transmission of HIV may be critical for understanding racial/ethnic disparities in HIV infection.
| Original language | English (US) |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 1277-1283 |
| Number of pages | 7 |
| Journal | American Journal of Public Health |
| Volume | 101 |
| Issue number | 7 |
| DOIs | |
| State | Published - Jul 1 2011 |
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ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health
Cite this
Associations between herpes simplex virus type 2 and HCV with HIV among injecting drug users in New York City : The current importance of sexual transmission of HIV. / Des Jarlais, Don; Arasteh, Kamyar; Mcknight, Courtney; Hagan, Holly; Perlman, David C.; Semaan, Salaam.
In: American Journal of Public Health, Vol. 101, No. 7, 01.07.2011, p. 1277-1283.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article
}
TY - JOUR
T1 - Associations between herpes simplex virus type 2 and HCV with HIV among injecting drug users in New York City
T2 - The current importance of sexual transmission of HIV
AU - Des Jarlais, Don
AU - Arasteh, Kamyar
AU - Mcknight, Courtney
AU - Hagan, Holly
AU - Perlman, David C.
AU - Semaan, Salaam
PY - 2011/7/1
Y1 - 2011/7/1
N2 - Objectives: We examined relationships between herpes simplex virus type 2 (HSV-2), a biomarker for sexual risk, and HCV, a biomarker for injecting risk, with HIV among injecting drug users (IDUs) who began injecting after large-scale expansion of syringe exchange programs in New York City. Methods: We recruited 337 heroin and cocaine users who began injecting in 1995 or later from persons entering drug detoxification. We administered a structured interview covering drug use and HIV risk behavior and collected serum samples for HIV, HCV, and HSV-2 testing. Results: HIV prevalence was 8%, HSV-2 39%, and HCV 55%. We found a significant association between HSV-2 and HIV (odds ratio [OR]=7.9; 95% confidence interval [CI]=2.9, 21.4) and no association between HCV and HIV (OR=1.14; 95% CI=0.5, 2.6). Black IDUs had the highest prevalence of HSV-2 (76%) and HIV (24%) but the lowest prevalence of HCV (34%). Conclusions: Most HIV infections among these IDUs occurred through sexual transmission. The relative importance of injecting versus sexual transmission of HIV may be critical for understanding racial/ethnic disparities in HIV infection.
AB - Objectives: We examined relationships between herpes simplex virus type 2 (HSV-2), a biomarker for sexual risk, and HCV, a biomarker for injecting risk, with HIV among injecting drug users (IDUs) who began injecting after large-scale expansion of syringe exchange programs in New York City. Methods: We recruited 337 heroin and cocaine users who began injecting in 1995 or later from persons entering drug detoxification. We administered a structured interview covering drug use and HIV risk behavior and collected serum samples for HIV, HCV, and HSV-2 testing. Results: HIV prevalence was 8%, HSV-2 39%, and HCV 55%. We found a significant association between HSV-2 and HIV (odds ratio [OR]=7.9; 95% confidence interval [CI]=2.9, 21.4) and no association between HCV and HIV (OR=1.14; 95% CI=0.5, 2.6). Black IDUs had the highest prevalence of HSV-2 (76%) and HIV (24%) but the lowest prevalence of HCV (34%). Conclusions: Most HIV infections among these IDUs occurred through sexual transmission. The relative importance of injecting versus sexual transmission of HIV may be critical for understanding racial/ethnic disparities in HIV infection.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=79958834399&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=79958834399&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.2105/AJPH.2011.300130
DO - 10.2105/AJPH.2011.300130
M3 - Article
C2 - 21566021
AN - SCOPUS:79958834399
VL - 101
SP - 1277
EP - 1283
JO - American Journal of Public Health
JF - American Journal of Public Health
SN - 0090-0036
IS - 7
ER -