AEGiS-14IAC: Heterosexual transmission of HIV from injecting drug users to non-users: using surveillance data to estimate the magnitude.

14th International AIDS Conference

Barcelona, Spain - July 7-12, 2002

Heterosexual transmission of HIV from injecting drug users to non-users: using surveillance data to estimate the magnitude.

Int Conf AIDS 2002 Jul 7-12; 14:(abstract no. TuOrC1220a)

Archibald CP, Reid D, Geduld J
Health Canada, Ottawa, Canada

BACKGROUND: To estimate the extent of heterosexual HIV transmission from injecting drug users (IDUs) to non-IDUs. It has been estimated that approximately 3,270 new HIV infections occurred among men and 920 among women in Canada during 1999. Approximately 33% of male and 54% of female infections were directly attributable to injecting drug use (occurred among IDUs). Non-IDU heterosexuals represent an estimated 14% of male and 46% of female incident infections and the current study estimated the proportion of these infections attributable to heterosexual contact with IDUs.

METHODS: Adult cases assigned to the exposure category of heterosexual contact with a person at risk for HIV (HetRisk) were extracted from the national HIV/AIDS surveillance data to June 30, 2001. This category was further classified according to risk information of the heterosexual partners. The number of HetRisk cases related to sexual contact with an IDU was calculated as the number with an IDU partner plus half the number with an IDU/bisexual partner.

RESULTS: Preliminary results indicate that 1,379 male and 879 female AIDS cases were attributed to heterosexual contact and of these, 527 males and 445 females were in the HetRisk category. Information on partner's HIV risk was available for 364 (37%) of the HetRisk cases, and 29.2% of female and 25.4% of male cases were attributed to heterosexual contact with an IDU. Applying these proportions to all heterosexual cases, we estimate about 10% of male and 15% of female heterosexual AIDS cases were attributable to sexual contact with an IDU. Final results will include HIV surveillance data.

CONCLUSIONS: An estimated 7% of incident HIV infections among women and 1.4% among men in Canada are related to heterosexual contact with an IDU. Non-IDU women who are sexual partners of male IDUs are a significant part of the Canadian HIV epidemic and merit special attention.

Keywords: AEGIS, Heterosexuality, HIV Infections, Sexual Partners, Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome, Bisexuality, HIV Seropositivity, Substance-Related Disorders, Canada, North America, Human, Female, Male, Adult, transmission, utilization, epidemiology

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TuOrC1220a