Should we be tracking AIDS virus transmission in India?
John, T.J.
Health for the Millions 15(2): 5; 8
1989
ISSN/ISBN: 0970-8685 PMID: 12282051 Document Number: 361649
In India HIV infection was 1st found among prostitutes in Madras city in February, 1986. The government and the Indian Council of Medical Research set up 40 surveillance centers equipped with enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay readers and HIV antibody test kits. In 1987, a rural middle-aged breadwinner received a blood transfusion for ulcers and contracted AIDS. The donor was traced and found to be infected with HIV, as were also his wife and child. He had had sexual intercourse with prostitutes in 1984. In 1988, a 3rd man was found to have AIDS; he had had homosexual contacts with many partners. The country's rapid mobilization against AIDS has been criticized on grounds that India has more pressing problems. However, the public health efforts against AIDS have not been diverted from any other program, and if a similar campaign had been mounted against hepatitis B virus infection, many lives would have been saved. 1% to 3% of patients in venereal disease clinics in Vellore have been found to be HIV-positive, and the rate of HIV infection in blood banks is 1.6/1000 donors, which indicates that there are probably 500,000 people already infected with AIDS in India. The Indian government's response to the impending AIDS epidemic should serve as a model in the fight against other communicable diseases.