The HIV epidemic amongst gay men in San Francisco is spreading most rapidly amongst gay men aged 35 and above according to a study published in the Journal of Infectious Diseases. The study reflects European data suggesting that older gay men are the group most likely to be newly infected with HIV and have unprotected anal sex.
A study conducted amongst over 5,000 men using sexual health services in San Francisco, California, found an overall HIV incidence rate of 2.1%, with 75% of infections in gay men, remarkably similar to the 2% incidence rate amongst UK gay men reported earlier this month at the annual conference of the UK’s Public Health Laboratory Service.
What’s more, the San Francisco study also found that recent HIV infections were concentrated amongst gay men over 35 with gonorrhoea, reflecting the findings of a similar study reported on aidsmap this summer which was conducted amongst gay men in Amsterdam. In addition, a recent UK report recently found that gay men over 35 had the largest number of sexual partners and were most likely to have unprotected anal sex.
The San Francisco investigators also found that HIV incidence was higher amongst Latino and black gay men.
Schwarcz, SK et al. Characterization of Sexually Transmitted Disease Clinic Patients with Recent Human Immunodeficiency Virus Infection.
Journal of Infectious Diseases, 186:1019-1022, 2002