Bridging the Epidemic: A Comprehensive Analysis of Prevalence and Correlates of HIV, Hepatitis C, and Syphilis, and Infection among Female Sex Workers in Guangxi Province, China

• DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0115311
• Publication Date: 2015-02-27T18:51:09Z
• Authors: Yi Chen; Zhiyong Shen; Jamie P. Morano; Kaveh Khoshnood; Zunyou Wu; Guanghua Lan; Qiuying Zhu; Yuejiao Zhou; Shuai Tang; Wei Liu; Jie Chen; Zhenzhu Tang
• Keywords: Hepatitis C; harm reduction

Introduction Female sex workers (FSWs) are at highest risk for contracting HIV and facilitating the current heterosexual epidemic in Guangxi, China, yet little is known of impact recent harm reduction campaigns province. We analyzed sentinel surveillance data collected between 2010 2012 Guangxi to explore correlations prevalence HIV, hepatitis C (HCV), syphilis behaviors different categories FSWs Guangxi. Methods The 5,1790 all 14 prefectures 64 city/county regions China from were collected. Differences three (grouped by venue) disease trends (HIV, HCV, syphilis) year using bivariate multivariate logistic regression analyses as evaluate factors correlated with or infection. Results HCV remained constant across FSW categories; however, showed a significant increase 5.7% 7.3% low-tier FSWs. Most cases intravenous drug use seen Testing positive most being (AOR 4.12 AOR 4.36), only completing elementary school 3.71 2.35), low tier venues 2.02 2.00), prior STI 1.40 3.56), respectively. infection was ever injecting drugs 60.65) testing 4.16) 3.74). Conclusions This study highlights that lower formal education levels vulnerable population acquiring transmitting China. Condom distribution evolution safer practices reasons explain non-increasing 2010–2012.