Study of Sexually Transmitted Infections among Urban Men in Pakistan: Identifying the Bridging Population

Pakistan currently has very low levels of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection; the overall HIV prevalence rate is less than 0.1 percent in the general population. However, the country is considered to be at high potential risk for an HIV epidemic for a number of reasons. In particular, in the major cities there are large concentrations of individuals engaging in behaviors that make them vulnerable to the rapid spread of HIV and of classical sexually transmitted infections (STIs). The infection can spread to the general population through the bridging population, who are individuals who have contact both with high-risk groups and the general population. The bridging population can be defined by prevalence data of STIs, including HIV, if known, or by the identification of risk behaviors.

This study of urban men commissioned by the National AIDS Control Program, with funding from Department for International Development (DFID) (United Kingdom), is one of the three studies originally designed to measure reproductive tract infection (RTI) and STI prevalence and sexual behaviors in the high-risk groups, in men comprising the intermediate-risk group, and in women representing the low-risk groups.