Background: The substantial frequency of drug resistance in persons recently infected with HIV implies exposure among HIV-uninfected individuals to HIV-infected persons with drug-resistant virus. Although there is an increasing emphasis on understanding high-risk behavior among HIV-infected patients, little work has focused on those with drug-resistant virus.
Methods: We examined antiretroviral-treated patients with drug resistance in the Study of the Consequences of the Protease Inhibitor Era, a clinic-based cohort of HIV-infected adults. Sexual behavior was ascertained by self-administered questionnaire. Genotypic antiretroviral resistance testing was performed on isolates from participants with a plasma HIV RNA level > or =100 copies/mL.
Results: Among 279 participants on antiretroviral therapy, 168 (60%) had genotypic resistance to at least 1 drug. In those with drug resistance, 27% of men who have sex with men (MSM) and 11% of heterosexual men and women reported at least 1 episode of unprotected penile-anal or penile-vaginal intercourse in the previous 4 months; 17% of MSM and 6% of heterosexual participants reported unprotected intercourse with an HIV-uninfected or status unknown partner. In a multivariable model of predictors of unprotected anal or vaginal intercourse with an HIV-uninfected or status unknown partner, there was strong evidence for an effect of younger age, depression, and sildenafil use and moderate evidence for frequent alcohol use.
Conclusions: Among HIV-infected patients with drug-resistant viremia, there is a substantial prevalence of high-risk sex with HIV-uninfected partners. The presence of definable risk factors for unsafe sex suggests a role for targeted rather than broad intervention, particularly when resources are limited.