Injection drug use and HIV transmission in Russia

Abstract

There is an epidemic of HIV and injection drug use in the former USSR. Although 300 000 cases of HIV infection were documented in Russia at the end of 2004 the actual number is estimated to be three to five times higher. Underreporting continues to obscure the true magnitude of the epidemic. Similarly Russia is estimated to have over three million current injection drug users although only approximately a tenth of these have been officially identified. Over 70% of all reported HIV cases in Russia demonstrate ties to unsafe injection practices and injection drug use and HIV have been tightly linked since the beginning of the Russian epidemic. (excerpt)