Correlates of recent HIV infection among men who have sex with men recruited through the internet in Huzhou City, Eastern China

OBJECTIVE: To identify factors associated with recent HIV infection among men who have sex with men (MSM) in Huzhou City, Eastern China, who seek sexual partners via the internet. METHODS: Adult members of Tencent QQ instant messaging software, who completed a face-to-face interview questionnaire and serological HIV testing at baseline, were enrolled into this prospective cohort study. Questionnaires and serological testing were also completed at 6 and 12 months. Cox proportional hazards was used for initial bivariate analyses of differences between participants with or without recent HIV infection, and for subsequent forward stepwise multiple regression of statistically significant variables. RESULTS: Out of 415 baseline participants, 283 completed the 12-month follow-up (25 with recent HIV infection and 258 without; recent HIV infection rate, 8.20 per 100 person-years). Recent HIV infection was shown to be significantly associated with ≤ high school education (versus college/university), registered residence outside Huzhou City (versus within Huzhou City), having ≥ two male sexual partners, and syphilis infection. CONCLUSIONS: Improving education levels, treating syphilis promptly, and reducing the number of male sexual partners may reduce HIV transmission among MSM in Eastern China.