Journal of AIDS & Clinical Research

Bleaching and Withdrawal: A Modeling Approach for Assessing the Role of Bleaching and Individual Withdrawal on Controlling HIV among Intravenous Drug Users

Abstract

S. Mushayabasa

Bleaching of syringes has been advocated to prevent HIV transmission among injection drug users (IDUs). In this paper, a simple mathematical model is developed to assess the role of bleaching and individual withdrawal on controlling HIV among intravenous drug users. A threshold dimensionless quantity known as the reproductive number ( R 0 ) has been derived and qualitatively used to assess the impact bleaching and individual withdrawal of symptomatic HIV carriers (from drug injection misuse activity) on controlling HIV epidemic among intravenous drug users. Latin Hypercube Sampling has been used to assess the amount and type of change inherent in the model as captured by the terms that define the ( R 0 ). At best this study suggests that bleaching is more effective on controlling HIV among intravenous drug users compared to withdrawal of symptomatic HIV carriers from drug injection misuse activity. Furthermore, the study suggest that, the use of antiviral drugs can substantially reduce the rate at which individuals progress to full blown AIDS, thereby increasing the life expectancy of individuals within the community.