Sexually transmitted infections and sexual practices in injection drug users and their regular sex partners in Chennai, India

Sex Transm Dis. 2007 Apr;34(4):250-3. doi: 10.1097/01.olq.0000258485.23066.a6.

Abstract

Objective: Measuring sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and sexual practices in injection drug users (IDUs) and their regular sex partners.

Goal: Informing HIV intervention programs.

Design: Cross-sectional.

Results: One percent IDUs and 2% of their regular female sex partners were syphilis infected; 40% (84/211) and 38% respectively (81/211) were infected with HSV-2. 30% IDUs and 5% of their female regular sex partners were HIV positive. Serodiscordant results for syphilis and HSV-2 were noticed. Women having first sex at age<or=17 years and those who had HIV-positive IDUs as their male sexual partner had two times the odds of having any non-HIV-STI (OR 2.04; 95% CI 1.1-3.8; P=0.02 and OR 2.38; 95% CI 1.1-5.1; P=0.02 respectively) in a multivariate model. Women>or=38 years had seven times the odds of having any non-HIV-STI.

Conclusion: Reaching out to IDUs and their female regular sex partners with modified STI management guideline and promoting women-controlled safer sex measures are needed harm-reduction measures.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Cross-Sectional Studies
  • Disease Transmission, Infectious / prevention & control*
  • Female
  • Humans
  • India / epidemiology
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Multivariate Analysis
  • Practice Guidelines as Topic
  • Sex Factors
  • Sexual Behavior*
  • Sexual Partners*
  • Sexually Transmitted Diseases / epidemiology*
  • Sexually Transmitted Diseases / etiology
  • Sexually Transmitted Diseases / prevention & control*
  • Substance Abuse, Intravenous*