Which group of patients is most likely to contract HIV?

The group of patients identified as the most likely to contract HIV is IV drug users. This is due to several key factors related to how HIV is transmitted. IV drug users often share needles and other injection equipment, which provides a direct route for blood-to-blood contact. When needles are shared, any HIV present in the blood of an infected person can easily be transferred to others, significantly increasing the risk of transmission.

While sex workers, men who have sex with men (MSM), and female partners of HIV-positive males all face heightened risk factors for HIV transmission, IV drug users have a particularly high risk because of the nature of how the virus is spread among those who inject substances. The sharing of needles is a critical factor that raises the likelihood of contracting HIV beyond what is typically associated with sexual transmission methods.

Moreover, studies have shown that in populations where intravenous drug use is prevalent, the rates of HIV infection can be considerably higher, underscoring the importance of targeted interventions aimed at reducing needle sharing among these individuals to combat the spread of the virus effectively.