In March 1992, KAP investigation and HIV blood test were carried out for 860 drug users and 82 spouses in Ruili, Luxi, Longchuan of Yunnan Province, China. The results showed that there were 285 injecting drug users (IDUs) (33.1%) among 860 drug users. Among 282 blood samples of IDUs, the HIV infection rate was 49.0%, highest in Ruili (81.8%, 63/77), then Longchuan (44.6%, 74/166), lowest in Luxi county (5.1%, 2/39). Twelve new HIV(+) were found from 75 persons, who had been tested as HIV(-) in recent two years. Sixty-two blood samples were collected among 82 spouses of IDUs with HIV(+), and 6 were HIV(+) (9.8%), with an increase of 6.7% compared with results of the investigation two years ago (3.1%, 2/64).
PIP: In March 1992, health workers collected a 5 ml blood sample from 860 drug users and 61 of their spouses. All drug users and spouses lived in the southwest border counties of Ruili, Luxi, and Longchuan in Yunnan Province, China. This was a follow-up study to a March 1990 epidemiologic study. 33.1% of the drug users used intravenous (IV) drugs (i.e., heroin). Ruili had the highest proportion of IV drug users (36.4% vs. 32.9% for Longchuan and 28.9% for Luxi). The overall incidence of HIV infection was 49%, with Ruili having the highest incidence (81.8%) followed by Longchuan (44.6%) and Luxi (5.1%). 12 people who tested HIV negative in 1990 tested HIV positive in March 1992, a seroconversion rate of 16%. The seroconversions were confined to Ruili (61.5%) and Longchau (9.1%). 9.8% of the spouses tested HIV positive. In March 1990, the HIV seropositivity rate among spouses was 3.1%. The IV-drug users had normal CD4 lymphocyte counts and had no clinical manifestations of AIDS, indicating that they were in the preliminary stage of HIV infection.