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The Context of HIV Risk Among Drug Users and Their Sexual Partners

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232 (18 percent) <strong>of</strong> the cases; <strong>and</strong> Asians, Pacific Isl<strong>and</strong>ers, Alaskans,<br />

<strong>and</strong> Native Americans together comprise 23 (2 percent) <strong>of</strong> all adolescent<br />

cases (CDC 1993a).<br />

Although AIDS surveillance data reveal patterns <strong>of</strong> <strong>HIV</strong> transmission, the<br />

extent <strong>of</strong> asymptomatic <strong>HIV</strong> infection remains largely unknown. To<br />

date, seroprevalence data regarding adolescents have been reported from<br />

military recruits, Job Corps entrants, STD clinic patients, <strong>and</strong> from street<br />

<strong>and</strong> other disenfranchised youth. <strong>The</strong> rates have ranged from 22 per<br />

1,000 among STD clinic patients (Quinn et al. 1988) to 3.6 per 1,000<br />

among Job Corps students (St. Louis et al. 1991). While these data <strong>of</strong>fer<br />

some insights into the prevalence <strong>of</strong> <strong>HIV</strong> infection among certain groups<br />

<strong>of</strong> adolescents, they are not generalizable to all adolescents.<br />

However, a more accurate indicator <strong>of</strong> trends <strong>of</strong> <strong>HIV</strong> infection may be<br />

found in rates <strong>of</strong> STDs in adolescents, since the behaviors associated with<br />

the acquisition <strong>and</strong> transmission <strong>of</strong> STDs also are associated with <strong>HIV</strong><br />

transmission. In addition, other STDs may serve as c<strong>of</strong>actors for <strong>HIV</strong><br />

acquisition. It is suggested that genital tract ulceration, which is<br />

associated with STDs such as syphilis, chancroid, <strong>and</strong> herpes, can<br />

increase the likelihood <strong>of</strong> <strong>HIV</strong> transmission (Greenblatt et al. 1987;<br />

Holmes 1988).<br />

STDs<br />

STDs are the most pervasive <strong>and</strong> destructive infectious diseases<br />

confronting adolescents in the United States. Of the estimated 20 million<br />

cases reported annually, two-thirds are among individuals under the age<br />

<strong>of</strong> 25 (CDC 1991a), with one-fourth <strong>of</strong> the cases occurring in adolescents<br />

ages 15 to 19. <strong>The</strong> high rate <strong>of</strong> STDs among sexually experienced<br />

adolescents is accompanied by a parallel increase in their sequelae <strong>of</strong><br />

pelvic pain, tubal infertility, ectopic pregnancy, genital <strong>and</strong> cervical<br />

carcinoma, neonatal transmission <strong>of</strong> infections causing perinatal death or<br />

illness, <strong>and</strong> <strong>HIV</strong> leading to AIDS (Cates 1990; CDC 1991a; Shafer <strong>and</strong><br />

Sweet 1990).<br />

Given the large number <strong>of</strong> cases <strong>and</strong> the stability <strong>of</strong> reporting, trends in<br />

gonorrhea <strong>and</strong> syphilis (the only two reported diseases) provide the most<br />

accurate assessment <strong>of</strong> STDs in adolescents (Cates 1990). Overall, the<br />

CDC reported a decline <strong>of</strong> gonorrhea cases between 1975 <strong>and</strong> 1989<br />

(Cates 1990), yet rates have increased among teenage males 15 to 19<br />

years <strong>of</strong> age in the past 2 years <strong>and</strong> have remained unchanged among<br />

138

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