Injection drug use and HIV/AIDS transmission in China

Abstract

After nearly three decades of being virtually drug free, use of heroin and other illicit drugs has re-emerged in China as a major public health problem. One result is that drug abuse, particularly heroin injection, has come to play a predominant role in fueling China's AIDS epidemic. The first outbreak of HIV among China's IDUs was reported in the border area of Yunnan province between China and Myanmar where drug trafficking is heavy. Since then drug-related HIV has spread to all 31 provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities. This paper provides an overview to HIV/AIDS transmission through injection drug use in China. It begins with a brief history of the illicit drug trade in China, followed by a discussion of the emergence of drug related AIDS, and a profile of drug users and their sexual partners who have contracted the virus or who are vulnerable to infection. It ends by summarizing three national strategies being used by China to address both drug use and AIDS as major health threats.

Consumo de heroína inyectada en Colombia y comportamientos de riesgo

“…9 Dentro de los UDI, el principal factor de riesgo que aumenta la posibilidad de transmisión es el intercambio de jeringas y agujas, principalmente en personas jóvenes, donde se encuentran informes de infección por esta vía de hasta 43.5%. 10 Si bien los más afectados son los hombres, algunos estudios informan que 31% de las mujeres aceptaron haberse inyectado con agujas previamente usadas, 11 lo que las incluye también en el grupo de riesgo. Además, las mujeres que son parejas sexuales de un UDI tienen mayor tendencia a estar comprometidas como receptoras después de la inyección de su compañero sexual; esto es particularmente común en países en vías de desarrollo.…”

HIV-1 Transmission Among Injection Drug Users Leads To Novel Recombinants Circulating In Southern China

“…1 Several early outbreaks of HIV-1 infection occurred in southern China, which is located on the trafficking routes for heroin and other drugs from southern/southeastern Asia into China. 2,3 Therefore, HIV-1 infections in the early outbreaks occurred mainly among injection drug users (IDUs). [2][3][4][5] Although sexual activity has recently become the major pathway for HIV-1 transmission, transmission via IDUs still requires attention.…”

“…2,3 Therefore, HIV-1 infections in the early outbreaks occurred mainly among injection drug users (IDUs). [2][3][4][5] Although sexual activity has recently become the major pathway for HIV-1 transmission, transmission via IDUs still requires attention. New HIV-1 infections continue to be reported among IDUs, especially in southern China, 6 which may lead to the generation of novel circulating recombinant forms (CRFs) of HIV-1.…”

Interplay Between Hiv/Aids Epidemics and Demographic Structures Based on Sexual Contact Networks

“…A recently proposed fast algorithm [73,74] may improve the situation if we have successfully modified some dynamical rules and translated this model into an equal rate-equation form. Secondly, this model consider only the heterosexual contacts and perinatal transmission, however, other transmission routes, especially the homosexual contacts [75,76] and sharing injectors among drug users [77,78], are also significant in HIV epidemics. Finally, some details are ignored.…”