Survey on HIV Transmission Between Married Spouses

Objective To estimate the HIV transmission between married spouses.Methods Former paid plasma donors and their married spouses selected from a highly epidemic area of AIDS were interviewed and blood samples were taken for anti HIV tests.Results Fifty four former paid plasma donors who were positive for anti HIV and their married spouses who had no history of blood donation were studied.Six married couples among the 54 spouses were anti HIV positive.The HIV transmission rate was 11 1%(6/54) during a period of more than 4 year.The transmission rate from husband to wife(8 3%)was not significantly different from that of wife to husband(13 3%), P 0 05.The HIV transmission rate of patient with AIDS (23 8%) was significantly greater than that of HIV-carrier(3 0%), P 0 05.Conclusion HIV transmission between spouses led to further transmission of AIDS in area where plasma donation was the major mode of HIV transmission.However the HIV transmission rate between married couples was relative low compared to persons who had multiple sexual partners,which suggested that the HIV transmission through daily contact within family was not common.