HIV infection among Female Partners of Seropositive Men in Brazil

The Rio de Janeiro Heterosexual Study Group includes Luiz A. Alves Lima from Santa Catarina Hematoiogic Center; Victor Berbara from National Institute of Medical Care; Solange Cavalcante from Evandro Chagas Hospital, Oswaldo Cruz Foundation; Valeria Gomes from Pedro Emesto Hospital, State University of Rio de Janeiro; Mariza Morgado from The Immunology Laboratory, Oswaldo Cruz Foundation; Eleonora Quinh??es and Dario Signorini from Gaffree & Guinle University Hospital, University of Rio de Janeiro; Andrea Sereno from Federal University of Rio de Janeiro.A heterosexual partner study was carried out in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, from August 1990 to Decembe: 1991. The main objectives were to determine the rate of male-to-female transmission of human Immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and to determine risk factors. Male index cases were recruited according to the following criteria: 1) confirmed HIV positivity, 2) 18 years old or older; 3) heterosexual contact within the past year. Only female partners who reported not to have other risk factors but to have had sexual contact with the Index case were invited to participate. Couples were interviewed for risk factors and had blood collected for laboratory studies. The overall prevalence of HIV infection was 45 percent among 204 female partners In the study. Using logistic regression, the authors found the following factors to be independently (p