• Richard Steen, Pengfei Zhao, Teodora E Wi, Neelamanie Punchihewa, Iyanthi Abeyewickreme, and Ying-Ru Lo.
• Department of Public Health, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center Rotterdam, Netherlands.
• Expert Rev Anti Infect Ther. 2013 Oct 1; 11 (10): 999-1015.

AbstractHIV epidemics spread rapidly through Asian sex work networks two decades ago under conditions of high vulnerability, low condom use, intact male foreskins and ulcerative STIs. Experiences implementing interventions to prevent transmission in sex work in ten Asian countries were reviewed. All report increasing condom use trends in sex work. In the seven countries where condom use exceeds 80%, surveillance and other data indicate declining HIV trends or low and stable HIV prevalence with declining STI trends. All four countries with national-level HIV declines among sex workers have also documented significant HIV declines in the general population. While all interventions in sex work included outreach, condom programing and STI services, the largest declines were found in countries that implemented structural interventions on a large scale. Thailand and Cambodia, having controlled transmission early, are closest to providing universal access to HIV care, support and treatment and are exploring HIV elimination strategies.

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