Sex workers and HIV

Abstract

Sex workers have been exposed to the unprecedented attentions of researchers worldwide since the appearance of HIV infection. Two main findings have emerged from the studies that have been undertaken to date. The first is that, in the main, HIV infection in female prostitutes is associated with unprotected heterosexual intercourse in countries where this is the dominant mode of transmission, such as in sub-Saharan Africa, or in regions where sex tourism has encouraged HIV spread, such as South East Asia. Secondly, that in other areas, where heterosexual intercourse does not account for the majority of cases, HIV infection in female sex workers is associated primarily with injecting drug use.