Spread of HIV Infection in Married Monogamous Women in India

Important note: Information in this article was accurate in 1997. The state of the art may have changed since the publication date.

Spread of HIV Infection in Married Monogamous Women in India

Journal of the American Medical Association (12/17/97) Vol. 278, No. 23, P. 2090
Gangakhedkar, Raman R.; Bentley, Margaret E.; Divekar, Anand D; et al.

Abstract: HIV infection among women who are not sex workers is increasing in India, and the likely mode of transmission is these women's husbands, according to a new study. Researchers from India's National AIDS Research Institute, Johns Hopkins University, and the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease investigated the spread of HIV infection in India--where an estimated 2.5 million to 3.5 million people are infected with HIV--from high-risk groups to those at low risk. The study group consisted of 916 women, including 525 FSWs. The rate of HIV infection in FSWs was nearly 50 percent, versus about 14 percent among those who were not sex workers. The researchers note that the infection rate among non-sex workers was "disturbingly high," considering their relatively low-risk behavioral profile. However, they say the rate may be explained by the discovery that non-sex workers had a higher incidence of STDs than FSWs and that some women were referred to STD clinics by husbands recently diagnosed with an STD. In conclusion, the researchers call for an aggressive HIV and STD education program for Indian females who are still single and not yet sexually active to help them better understand the risks of sexual activity and how to protect themselves.

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