HIV 1 and HIV 2 prevalence of seropositivity in a population of West Africa
Zanchetta, N.; Viganò, P.; Priuli, G.B.; Ferrario, M.P.; Zago, M.; Pagano, A.
European Journal of Epidemiology 6(1): 71-75
1990
ISSN/ISBN: 0393-2990 PMID: 2344879 DOI: 10.1007/bf00155553Document Number: 373202
In August 1986, researchers tested 424 and 419 blood serum samples from patients, hospital workers, and blood donors at a hospital in Tanguieta, Benin for HIV 1 and HIV 2 antibodies respectively. Not so long ago, this region was completely isolated, but improved roads now allow free movement of people into and out of the region. The main economic activities include sheep farming and agriculture. The HIV 1 enzyme immunoassay (EIA) test 1st detected 23 seropositive sample, but only 4 tested positive (.94%) on the repeat EIA test. These 4 individuals included asymptomatic men between 30-50 years old. The distances they lived from the hospital ranged from several kilometer-600 km, 3 of whom lived in Benin and the 4th in Burkina Faso. 1 man visited the capital frequently. Further, the Western Blot and a test checking for the presence of antibodies against core and envelope proteins of HIV 1 confirmed 2 samples positive (.47%). The researchers considered these 2 as true positives, but they considered the other 2 samples which only tested positive, but they considered the other 2 samples which only tested positive under the Western Blot test as negative. The HIV 2 EIA test 1st detected 57 seropositive samples, but only 29 tested positive (6.9%) on the repeat test. The age of these individuals (19 men and 10 women) ranged from 19-54 years. The Lav-Blot test clearly confirmed only 1 positive case (.24%) and 2 negative cases. The remaining samples generated antibody bands against HIV 2 core proteins only. The researchers considered these 26 samples as indeterminate. The same person that tested positive for HIV 2 also tested positive for HIV 1. This 50 year old man belonged to a primitive ethnic group that hunts monkeys. Overall prevalence for both HIV 1 and HIV 2 stood at 1%.
Document emailed within 0-6 h
