OBJECTIVETo investigate HIV-1 molecular epidemiology of drug users in Jiangxi Province to analyze epidemic situation, subtype, origin of strain, and variation, and to provide information for prevention and control of AIDS.

METHODSCombining principles of traditional epidemiology and molecular epidemiology, the authors analyzed the epidemiologically related factors, the gene sequences and systematic mutation of HIV-1 gene in nine drug users in Jiangxi province.

RESULTSThe HIV spread through the drug users in Jiangxi not only by injection but also by sexual contacts. The main epidemic strain found by sequence analysis was HIV-1 CRF01-AE that was closely related to the strain among drug users in Vietnam and Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, with the average gene distance of 9.00 +/- 2.27 from the Vietnam strain. The origin of strain among drug users in the province was entirely the same.

CONCLUSIONAt present, HIV-1 CRF01-AE strain has spread in the whole province among the drug users. Vigorous behavioral interventions should be developed in drug users and un-safe sexual behavior population to prevent the epidemic.