OBJECTIVETo analyze the epidemiological characteristics of HIV infected immigrant marriage women in rural areas in Zhejiang province.

METHODSA retrospective investigation was conducted among 118 HIV infected immigrant marriage women, who were detected in active or passive surveillance in rural areas in Zhejiang province. The investigation information included the basic demographic characteristics, risky behavior, the status of HIV infection among their spouses and children. EpiData 3.0 and SPSS 13.0 software were used for database set up and bivariate and multiple logistic regression analysis.

RESULTSBy the end of 2009, a total of 118 HIV/AIDS were reported among immigrant marriage women. Of which, 53.4% (63/118) of the subjects were from Yunnan province and 33.1% (39/118) were minority nationality, and 30.6% (39/108) of their spouses were diagnosed HIV infection when these targeted women were detected. In discordant couples follow up with female partner being HIV positive, the spouse seroincidence rate was 2.09 per 100 person years (3/143.5 person years). Subjects who had sexual behavior beyond marriage accounted for 83.9% (99/118) of total, and 69.5% (82/118) subjects had former boyfriend or former husband in former inhabited places. In the 36 concordant-positive couples, 63.9% (23/36) reported never using condom in in-marriage sexual behavior before being detected HIV positive. Bivariate analysis results revealed that the significant difference for the HIV positive testing rate for a couple among different time duration that an immigrated woman moved to Zhejiang province due to marriage was observed (χ(2) = 8.708, P = 0.003). While the number and proportion of HIV positive couples for those immigrated women who lived in Zhejiang province for less than 2 years, 2 - 5 years, more than 5 years were 12 (20.7%), 9 (31.0%), 11 (57.9%), respectively. Multiple logistic regression analysis showed that the long time length when an immigrated woman was detected positivity after she moved to Zhejiang province was the risk predictor of their husband being infected (OR = 2.223; 95%CI: 1.288 - 3.836).

CONCLUSIONIt is showed that premarital unsafely sexual behavior, in-marriage sexual behavior without condom, delayed detection of HIV are risk factors for HIV infection and transmission.