Drug users: A potentially important bridge population in the transmission of sexually transmitted diseases, including AIDS, in China

Objective: The objective of this study was to examine risk characteristics among bridge and nonbridge drug users. Study Design: A cross-sectional study was conducted among drug users. Drug users who shared needles and engaged in sex with both high-risk partners and low-risk partners were defined as bridgers. Results: A total of 312 drug users were recruited, among whom 49.4% (154) were bridgers. Among bridgers, 83.1% injected drugs and 35% shared needles in the past month. Eighty-seven percent (134) of bridgers had one or more commercial sex partners in the past year. Only 3.9% of the bridgers and 4.6% of nonbridgers consistently used condoms with regular sex partners. Fifty-eight percent of bridgers and 46.8% of nonbridgers tested positive for hepatitis C virus, whereas 15.6% of bridgers and 7% of nonbridgers tested positive for syphilis. Conclusions: The pervasiveness of bridgers among drug users and their risky sexual behavior underscore their role in the spread of sexually transmitted diseases.