HIV-1 SEROPREVALENCE RATES IN WOMEN ATTENDING A PRENATAL CLINIC IN KAMPALA, UGANDA

To determine the human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) seropreva lence and natural history in women and their infants in Kampala, Ugand a, we have initiated a longitudinal study of HIV-1 infected and uninfe cted pregnant women. This report is on the HIV-1 test results of 3601 pregnant women screened for enrollment from January, 1989 to March, 19 90. Overall seroprevalence of HIV-1 was 28.1%, (95% confidence interva l [Cl]: 26.6, 29.6%), with the highest age-specific rate 45.7%, occurr ing at age 22 years. The monthly overall rates remained consistently h igh (22.1-31.7%). Most alarming is the high rate in the young women, 1 4-16 years: 23.5%. These sentinel rates suggest that the overall preva lence of HIV-1 is high among women of child-bearing age in urban areas of Uganda, that the prevalence may continue to increase over time, an d that young women are at extremely high risk for infection.