A CASE-CONTROL ANALYSIS OF RISK-FACTORS IN HIV TRANSMISSION IN SOUTH-INDIA

A case-control study was done among patients attending our clinic for sexually transmitted diseases in South India to assess risk factors fo r human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection. Of 5,876 patients test ed, 105 (1.79%) were MV antibody positive (87 men, 18 women) by enzyme -linked immunosorbent assay and Western blot. They were compared with an equal number of age- and sex-matched patients without HIV antibody. Risk factors significant in the crude odds ratio analysis were occupa tion (truck drivers and truck cleaners), age at first exposure, and se xual contact with commercial sex workers, In the logistic regression a nalysis, only a history of past genital ulcer was a significant risk f actor. Other important findings of this study were that (a) the spread of HIV to women is mostly from their infected husbands and (b) regula r condom use was reported by less than 8% of patients and controls. Ob viously, the current methods of education of the population are far fr om adequate.