2-YEAR HIV-1-ASSOCIATED MORTALITY IN A UGANDAN RURAL-POPULATION

The mortality in 15 villages in South-West Uganda was studied in relat ion to HIV infection. After a population census, serum samples were te sted for antibodies to HIV-1. Deaths were ascertained over 2 years. Un equivocal HIV-1 serology results were available for 9389 individuals. The prevalence of infection was 4.8% for all ages and 8.2% for adults (aged 13 or more). 198 deaths were recorded during 15725 person years of observation. Mortality among seronegative adults was 7.7 per 1000 a nd among seropositive adults 115.9 per 1000. The excess annual death r ate associated with HIV-1 infection was 5.3 per 1000 and in adults 7.9 per 1000. Highest excess mortality was 16.9 per 1000 in the age group 25-34. Among adults, half of all deaths and among those aged 13-44 ov er 80% of deaths were attributable to HIV-1 infection. These results s how the strong im pact that HIV-1 infection is having on mortality in a rural area of Uganda where the overall HIV-1 adult prevalence rate i s below 10%-a rate lower than in many other parts of East Africa.