SEROPREVALENCE STUDY OF HIV-I, HIV-II AND HTLV-I AMONG PATIENTS AT THE DERMATO-VENEREOLOGY CLINIC OF THE LAGOS-UNIVERSITY-TEACHING-HOSPITAL

Background Seroprevalence studies of HIV-I and HIV-II that have been r eported in Nigeria were among commercial sex workers and blood donors. There are no data from STD patients and dermatologic patients. Method s A seroprevalence study of HIV-I, HIV-II and HTLV-I was prospectively conducted among STD clinic attendees and among patients with dermatos es which have been linked with HIV disease. The studies were done in 1 992 and 1994. Results Some patients had more than one seropositive typ e. In 1992, the percentages of seropositive results to HIV-I, HIV-II a nd HTLV-I were 31, 19 and 50, respectively, and in 1994 the percentage s of HIV-I and HTLV-I were 65 and 35, respectively. Conclusions Patien ts should be routinely screened for HTLV-I, in addition to HIV-I and H IV-II, among blood donors and also neurology clinic attendees in Niger ia. They should also be screened for retroviral infections when they p resent with dermatoses clinically suggestive of papular urticaria, onc hodermatitis, or papulonecrotic tuberculids.