Objective: To identify the frequency of syphilis among Iranian HIV-positive patients. Methods:A cross-sectional study on the prevalence of syphilis and HIV co-infection among 450 patients diagnosed with HIV infection was conducted between 2004 and 2008 at Imam Khomeini hospital, Tehran, Iran. The lab tests including CD4 cell count, cerebrospinal fluid, veneral disease research laboratory (VDRL), fluorescent treponema antibody-absorption (FTA-Abs) and viral load were performed for all the patients. Data regarding medical history and their demographics were also collected. Results: Of all 450 HIV-positive patients, 24 (5.3%) had a positive VDRL test and only two men had a FTA-Abs positive test which means 0.45% of them had a definite co-infection of syphilis. 65.3% of the HIV-positive patients were injection drug users that the co-infection prevalence of them was 0.7%. We did not find any patient with neurosyphilis. Conclusions: Considering the increasing prevalence of HIV and also extensive use of highly active antiretroviral therapy in developing nations, the diagnosis of syphilis should be timely established using screening tests among such patients.

After its identification in 1980s, HIV has infected more than 30 million people worldwide. In the era of highly active anti-retroviral therapy, anti-retroviral drug resistance results from insufficient anti-retroviral pressure, which may lead to treatment failure. Preliminary studies support the idea that anti-retroviral drug resistance has evolved largely as a result of low-adherence of patients to therapy and extensive use of anti-retroviral drugs in the developed world;however, a highly heterogeneous horde of viral quasi-species are currently circulating in developing nations. Thus, the prioritizing of strategies adopted in such two worlds should be quite different considering the varying anti-retroviral drug resistance prevalence. In this article, we explore differences in anti-retroviral drug resistance patterns between developed and developing countries, as they represent two distinct ecological niches of HIV from an evolutionary standpoint.

Objective:To determine the prevalence of HIV infection among homeless men and women and the related risk behaviors in Tehran, Iran.
Methods: In 2007-2008, Tehran municipality stacked up 10 657 homeless men and women for assessment of HIV and began collaboration with Iranian Research Center for HIV/AIDS (IRCHA) departments to conduct HIV infection prevalence surveys in homeless populations. The results were analyzed for associations with demographic information, family support, status of drug abuse and relation with family and friends.
Results:Overall HIV prevalence was 1.7%(95%confidence interval 1.4-1.9). Factors independently associated with HIV infection included history of using drugs [AOR 8.15 (4.86-13.67)], older age [AOR 1.80 (1.08-2.99) for 40- 55 yr], occupation [AOR 1.64 (1.19-2.24) for unemployed], and no relation with family [AOR 1.82 (1.30-2.54)].
Conclusions: This study supports the idea that injection drug use is contributing to the increased spread of HIV among Iranian homeless. Harm reduction programs should be expanded, particularly among homeless injection drug users.

OBJECTIVETo identify the frequency of syphilis among Iranian HIV-positive patients.

METHODSA cross-sectional study on the prevalence of syphilis and HIV co-infection among 450 patients diagnosed with HIV infection was conducted between 2004 and 2008 at Imam Khomeini hospital, Tehran, Iran. The lab tests including CD4 cell count, cerebrospinal fluid, veneral disease research laboratory (VDRL), fluorescent treponema antibody-absorption (FTA-Abs) and viral load were performed for all the patients. Data regarding medical history and their demographics were also collected.

RESULTSOf all 450 HIV-positive patients, 24 (5.3%) had a positive VDRL test and only two men had a FTA-Abs positive test which means 0.45% of them had a definite co-infection of syphilis. 65.3% of the HIV-positive patients were injection drug users that the co-infection prevalence of them was 0.7%. We did not find any patient with neurosyphilis.

CONCLUSIONSConsidering the increasing prevalence of HIV and also extensive use of highly active antiretroviral therapy in developing nations, the diagnosis of syphilis should be timely established using screening tests among such patients.

Coinfection ; Cross-Sectional Studies ; HIV Infections ; epidemiology ; transmission ; Humans ; Iran ; epidemiology ; Prevalence ; Risk Factors ; Syphilis ; epidemiology ; Treponema pallidum ; Treponemal Infections ; epidemiology ; transmission

OBJECTIVETo determine the prevalence of HIV infection among homeless men and women and the related risk behaviors in Tehran, Iran.

METHODSIn 2007-2008, Tehran municipality stacked up 10672 homeless men and women for assessment of HIV and began collaboration with Iranian Research Center for HIV/AIDS (IRCHA) departments to conduct HIV infection prevalence surveys in homeless populations. The results were analyzed for associations with demographic information, family support, status of drug abuse and relation with family and friends.

RESULTSOverall HIV prevalence was 1.7% (95% confidence interval 1.4-1.9). Factors independently associated with HIV infection included history of using drugs [AOR 8.15 (4.86-13.67)], older age [AOR 1.80 (1.08-2.99) for 40-55 yr], occupation [AOR 1.64 (1.19-2.24) for unemployed], and no relation with family [AOR 1.82 (1.30-2.54)].

CONCLUSIONSThis study supports the idea that injection drug use is contributing to the increased spread of HIV among Iranian homeless. Harm reduction programs should be expanded, particularly among homeless injection drug users.

Adult ; Aged ; Cross-Sectional Studies ; Female ; HIV Infections ; epidemiology ; Homeless Persons ; statistics & numerical data ; Humans ; Iran ; epidemiology ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Prevalence ; Young Adult