SEROPREVALENCE OF HIV-INFECTION IN MALI ( STUDY OF 3 496 SERA)

Our main objective has been geared toward the appreciation of the impo rtance of the infection by human immunodeficiency virus in Mali. Our s tudy was based on 3 496 sera deducted from March 1987 to January 1989. All positive sera at ELISA have been confirmed by Western Blot. The t otal seroprevalence of the study is 8,41 %. This fact has been noticed higher in prostitutes, young men, more in women than in men in widows and divorced couples, in traders, in travellers of high endemic count ries. The seropositivity is proportional to the number of sexual partn ers. The heterosexual way of transmission has been dominant. There has been no relationship between seropositivity and transfusion, antecede nt of surgery, sexually transmitted diseases, of sexual intercourse ty pe. The HIV2 has been more frequent than HIV1. Taking into account the importance of this infection, precautionary measures must be taken to avoid an evolution toward a catastrophic situation.