Evaluation of HIV status and its spread in HIV patients on RRT and their spouses

2 HIV patients were included in this study, who were either on maintenance hemodialysis (n=14) or were renal transplant recipients (n=10). Out of the 24, most were males (85.5%). Their spouses (n=20) were also included in this study. All subjects were interrogated via a questionnaire. All 24 patients were HIV positive. Out of the 20 spouses, 8 were found to be HIV positive (40%). Probable mode of spread of infection was enquired from the patients, 20 patients out of 24 had multiple sexual contacts (83.3%), while blood transfusion and multiple needle pricks due to drug abuse were found in one each (8.4%). 2 patients were not sure of any cause (8.4%). Out of the 20 spouses, 18 were sexually active, out of which 8 were found to be HIV positive and all were of the opinion that they had received the infection due to sexual contact with their spouses who were HIV positive CKD patients. Out of the 18 sexually active couples 12 were using condoms, while 6 spouses who were not using condoms, were found to be HIV positive. Out of the 8 HIV positive spouses, 2 had received the infection in spite of using condoms, thus implying that barrier contraception, though extremely effective, is not a full proof method of protection from the spread of HIV infection. Furthermore 15 patients were chronic alcoholics (62.5%). Most of them thought that social workers are the best way of preventing the disease (n=40, 90.5%), followed by increasing awareness through newspapers and television (n=36, 81.8%). Out of 44 subjects 30 (68.2%) thought that teaching in the school on the subject would be helpful in preventing it, while 28 (63.6%) were of the opinion that the family physicians could prevent the spread of the infection by counseling the families of HIV infected patients. Thus this study concludes that multiple sexual contacts, chronic alcohol abuse, intravenous drug abuse and spouses of patients are at high risk of contracting HIV infection and that social workers may be extremely beneficial in increasing awareness of HIV and restricting its spread.