HIV/AIDS acquisition and transmission in Bangladesh: Turning to the concentrated epidemic

Abstract

A seventh round behavioral and serological surveillance found that the HIV epidemic had remarkably increased to 7% among intravenous drug users (IDU) in Central Bangladesh, indicating the urgent need to increase prevention. The main purposes of this study were to find out, by collecting data and the necessary information from sero-surveillances, published reports, and articles, what the prevalence of HIV/AIDS is, and what the acquisition and transmission routes are. In addition, trends in HIV-related risk behaviors among recognized high risk groups were observed, and estimations and projections of HIV transmission up to the year 2020 presented. The Estimation and Projection Package was used to estimate and project HIV transmission. The study results reveal that Bangladesh is a low prevalence country which is turning into one with a concentrated epidemic due to the high HIV prevalence rate of IDU (7%) among the most-at-risk groups. Within this at-risk population, IDU have the highest prevalence rate of HIV transmission, followed by female sex worker, clients of sex workers, and men who have sex with men. If the transmission rate continues to increase, the situation will be uncontrolled. Therefore, there is an urgent need for a comprehensive prevention program to control the spread of HIV.