SURVEYS OF HIV-1, HTLV-1, AND OTHER SEXUALLY-TRANSMITTED DISEASES IN FEMALE SEX WORKERS IN TAIPEI CITY, TAIWAN, FROM 1993 TO 1996

Between 1993 and 1996 in Taipei, Taiwan, we studied the prevalences of HIV-1, HTLV-1, HSV-2, Chlamydia trachomatis, and syphilis infection i n female commercial sex workers (CSW) and the pathogens' associated ri sk factors. Female CSW from nine massage parlors, two karaoke bars (KB ), and 22 brothers in Taipei city participated in this study. Two of 5 57 (0.4%) KB CSWs from those who participated during the period from 1 993 to 1994 had HIV-1 infection, whereas no KB CSWs in the periods 199 4 to 1995 or 1995 to 1996 had HIV-1 infection. None of the 725 MP CSWs or 291 brothel CSWs who participated in the study between 1993 and 19 96 had HIV-1 infection. In contrast, CSWs from brothels had elevated r ates of both HTLV-1 and active chlamydia infections compared with KB a nd MP CSWs (p < .05 and p < .005, respectively). KB CSWs showed an ele vated rate of HSV-2 infection in the years 1993 and 1994 when compared with CSWs employed by brothels and MPs (p <.005). The prevalence rate s of syphilis for CSWs from brothels dropped from 42.8% in the year 19 93 to 1994 to 26.3% in the 1995 to 1996 period, whereas for KB and MP CSWs, the rates were < 6% in each of year studied.