HIV-1 Infection Among Intravenous Drug Users in Vienna 1986–1991

Abstract

Current research and clinical experience with AIDS in the population of intravenous drug users demonstrates that members of this group have multiple opportunities for exposure to HIV (Friedland & Klein 1987). Following the introduction of HIV into a community of intravenous drug users (IVDUs), it may infect over 50% of individuals within three to four years (Des Jarlais et al. 1988), the potential for a major heterosexual epidemic remains a subject of speculation (Johnson, 1988). The time until AIDS diagnosis after infection is estimated with a mean of 9.8 years (Bacchetti & Moss 1990). The second wave of HIV epidemic in Europe has already formed the injecting drug users into the major component of this epidemic. There has been a dramatic increase in the incidence of AIDS among IVDUs in Europe (Ferroni et al.1985; Fuchs et al. 1985; Ancelle-Park et al. 1987; Robertson et al. 1986, Harms et al. 1987; France et al. 1988; Loimer et al. 1990a) and in the United States (Chamberland et al. 1984; Des Jarlais et al. 1987; Drucker 1987; Allen et al. 1988; Hahn et al. 1989). In Europe higher though less than exponential rates of growth are observed among intravenous drug users. Projections of total cumulated cases to the end of 1991 lie in the range of 23,000 – 33,000 cases among this group (Downs et al. 1990).