FEASIBILITY AND COHORT DEVELOPMENT FOR HIV VACCINE TRIALS IN HAITI

Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection is spreading rapidly in H aiti with HIV seroprevalence rates;of 10% and 3% in urban and rural ar eas, respectively, Since 1985, heterosexual transmission has been the primary mode of acquisition of HIV. From 1981 to the present, the Corn ell-GHESKIO unit in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, has developed the infrastru cture to recruit and retain large cohorts of individuals at risk for H IV infection. Among the populations studied, couples discordant for HI V infection appear most suitable for eventual HIV phase III vaccine tr ial. This paper describes the recruitment, retention, and characterist ics of the discordant-couples cohort, as well as the limitations of in terventions aimed at behavior modification.