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HIV/AIDS
Drug use is an important driver of the HIV epidemic. Unsafe sexual behavior, resulting
from the dis-inhibitory effects of drug use, abuse, and dependence, increases the
risk of HIV transmission. This unsafe behavior can occur in the context of commercial
sex work and multiple partners, or with unsafe sex between HIV+ individuals and
their partners. Both alcohol and illicit drugs, such as cocaine and methamphetamine,
can be used to increase sexual desire, improve sexual performance, and increase
infidelity. Alternatively injection drug use, with heroin, decreases sexual desire
but can result in HIV infection through direct percutaneous virus infection from
contaminated injection equipment. Treatment of drug abuse and dependence results
in a reduction of unsafe sexual and drug use HIV risk behaviors.
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