Surge in HIV Diagnoses Linked to Dangerous Practice

Drug users are turning to a risky and inexpensive method to achieve a high, and it’s contributing to an increase in HIV cases. This practice, known as ‘bluetoothing,’ involves injecting oneself with the blood of another drug user in hopes of sharing their high.

It has already taken hold in Fiji, where HIV diagnoses have surged elevenfold over the past decade. Moreover, in South Africa, about 18 percent of drug users reportedly engage in this method, which is associated with elevated HIV infection rates among users.

There are growing worries that bluetoothing could spread to the U.S., despite a recent decline of 12 percent in new HIV diagnoses over the last four years. Dr. Brian Zanoni, an expert in drugs at Emory University, highlighted the issue by stating that in impoverished settings, it represents a low-cost way to get high, albeit with significant repercussions. Essentially, it’s like getting two doses for the price of one.

Current estimates indicate around 47.7 million Americans aged 12 and older have used illegal drugs in the past month, roughly 17 percent of the U.S. population. There are approximately 1.13 million people living with HIV across the country.

While the U.S. drug epidemic has reportedly slowed recently, a crackdown on trafficking has contributed to nearly a 24 percent drop in overdose deaths over the last year, with approximately 76,516 fatalities recorded in contrast to over 101,000 the previous year.

It’s unclear if bluetoothing is currently happening in the U.S., although some experts speculate that potential users may hesitate due to the diminished high often linked with the practice. There’s also the possibility that what users feel could just be a placebo effect.

Catharine Cook, the executive director of Harm Reduction International, expressed concern, calling it a perfect vehicle for spreading HIV. She emphasized the urgent need for health systems and governments to recognize how quickly an infection spike can occur due to the efficiency of transmission.

In Fiji, the number of individuals living with HIV rose from fewer than 500 in 2014 to around 5,900 by 2024. That year alone, 1,583 new HIV cases were reported, marking a 13-fold rise from the typical five-year average. Half of those newly infected admitted they had been sharing needles.

Kalesi Volatabu from the non-profit Drug Free Fiji described witnessing the practice firsthand. She recounted seeing a young woman using a needle filled with blood and other individuals waiting to get injected with it. This practice doesn’t merely involve sharing needles; it involves sharing blood.

In the U.S., approximately 33.5 percent of drug users are known to share needles, further increasing the risk of HIV transmission. Experts warn that the virus, along with others like hepatitis, can be transferred via contaminated needles.

While overall HIV rates in the U.S. have declined since 2017, disruptions in care caused by the COVID-19 pandemic likely caused missed diagnoses, resulting in a slight uptick in cases. As of 2023, there were 39,201 new HIV diagnoses reported in the U.S., up from 37,721 in 2022, with 518 of those cases linked to intravenous drug use.

It’s important to note that HIV is manageable in today’s world, with drugs available that can slow the virus’s replication, enabling those infected to lead full lives. The phenomenon of bluetoothing first emerged in Tanzania around 2010 and spread from urban areas to suburbs. In Zanzibar, a popular tourist spot, HIV rates were found to be up to 30 times higher than those on the mainland. It has also been noted in countries like Lesotho and Pakistan, where some have even sold partially used blood-infused syringes.