Weak Linkage between HIV Epidemics in Homosexual Men and Intravenous Drug Users in New York City

Abstract

The largest number of AIDS cases in the United States have occurred in homosexual men and intravenous drug users (IVDUs). The transmission mechanisms for HIV in these groups are needle-sharing between IVDUs and homosexual intercourse. Since homosexual men who are also IVDUs have both possible transmission mechanisms and interact with both homosexual men and IVDUs, they could be an important transmission link between these two groups. It is conceivable that a primary HIV epidemic in one of these groups could sustain a secondary HIV epidemic in the other group through the linkage provided by the homosexual IVDUs. The goal of this chapter is to evaluate the relative importance of HIV transmissions by homosexual IVDUs and to decide if they form an essential linkage between the HIV epidemics in homosexual men and IVDUs.