Amplified HIV transmission during early-stage infection
Abstract
The authors point out that on the basis of the Wawer data, commentators had pointed to the importance of early-stage infection for HIV transmission, stating that \"nearly one-half of the HIV transmission events observed could be ascribed to a sex partner with newly acquired HIV infection\" and calling for interventions targeted at acute HIV infection. The authors caution about overestimating the proportion of transmission events in sub-Saharan Africa that are attributable to acute infection. Data is supplied to support their arguments. They conclude that HIV-negative partners of acutely infected individuals are clearly at very high risk, but the population-level effects of interventions targeted at acutely infected individuals will depend on the sexual behavior of HIV-infected individuals, the stage and extent of the HIV epidemic, and the prevalence of STIs and other biological cofactors.
Citation
Journal of Infectious Diseases (2006) 193 604-5