Background: Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) has spread throughout China and to some degree has penetrated the general heterosexual population in some regions.
Methods: A cross-sectional survey of 11,461 sexually transmitted disease (STD) clinic attendees in 8 cities in Guangxi, China, was conducted for syphilis and for acute and established HIV infections.
Results: The prevalence of acute and established HIV infections was 1.2% among the participants. Five acute (preseroconversion) HIV infections were detected. Multivariate analysis showed that HIV infection was independently related to unmarried status (odds ratio [OR], 1.73 [95% confidence interval {CI}, 1.00-2.99), less education (OR for less than primary school, 4.21 [90% CI, 1.21-14.58]), residence in city A (OR, 11.48 [95% CI, 2.05-64.31]) or city B (OR, 7.93 [95% CI, 1.75-35.91]), working in the entertainment industry (OR, 3.98 [95% CI, 1.14-13.88]), injection drug use (OR, 25.09 [95% CI, 10.43-60.39]), no condom use during most recent sexual intercourse (OR, 4.97 [95% CI, 1.38-17.88]), and syphilitic infection (OR, 1.91 [95% CI, 1.03-3.56]).
Conclusions: HIV prevalence in STD clinics is significantly greater than that in the general population, and subjects were identified who would be missed by conventional surveillance. China's nationwide system of public STD clinics, which reach down to the township level, should be used for HIV control programs.