International Journal of STD & AIDS > Volume 20, Number 7 > Pp. 477-482

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Original research articles

HIV infection and associated risk factors among long-distance truck drivers travelling through Azerbaijan

B A Botros DVM PhD ^* , Q M Aliyev MD , M D Saad DVM MS ^*, A A Michael MD PhD ^*, J L Sanchez MD , J K Carr PhD  and K C Earhart MD ^*

^* US Naval Medical Research Unit No. 3, Cairo, Egypt; National Center in Response to AIDS, Baku, Azerbaijan; Department of Defense Global Emerging Surveillance and Response System, Silver Spring, MD, USA; Institute of Human Virology, Baltimore, MD, USA

Correspondence to: Dr B Botros, Commanding Officer, U.S. Naval Medical Research Unit No. 3, Code: 303, PSC 452 Box 5000, FPO AE 09835-9998, Cairo, Egypt Email: boulos.botros.ctr.eg{at}med.navy.mil

The aim of this study was to assess HIV prevalence and associated risk behaviours among international truck drivers (TDs) in Azerbaijan. The subjects signed consent and completed a questionnaire. Blood was tested using two rapid HIV tests: Determine and OraQuick. Genotyping was performed on 13 positives. Overall, 3763 TDs from 21 countries were enrolled. Fifty-eight (1.54%) were HIV-positive. Highest prevalence was among Russians (2.88%), Ukrainians (1.66%) and Azerbaijani (1.09%). On univariate analysis, highest prevalence (60%) was among injecting drug users (IDUs) compared with 0.4% among non-IDUs (P < 0.001). The prevalence in men who had sex with men (MSM) (42.9%) was high (P 0.001). On multivariate analysis, IDUs and MSM remained as the main HIV independent risk factors. Additional risk factors include no condom use, no circumcision and a history of an sexually transmitted infection. Eleven of 13 samples were subtype A. In conclusion, HIV was highly associated with IDU and MSM. The detected HIV subtypes A and B are those predominant in the former Soviet Union.

Key Words: HIV, truck drivers, risk behaviours, Azerbaijan

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