INTRODUCTION OF HIV-1 IN A RURAL CITY OF ZAIRE

In the rural city of Inongo (Bandundu region, Zaire), the prevalence o f HIV1 infection has been investigated during a survey on HTLV-1 infec tion and associated neurological diseases, using a cluster sampling te chnique. Thirteen individuals were infected by HIV1, 1 1 adults and 2 children, giving a crude prevalence rate in the cluster sample of 1.1 %. More women were infected than men. After direct standardization on the age and sex structure given by the 1984 census, the prevalence of HIV1 in the city may be estimated at 1.0 % for the whole population an d 1.6 % for the population above 15 years of age.The importance is str essed of protecting rural populations, particularly women of childbear ing age from the HIV epidemic, by information campaigns focused on the male migrant population, including both seasonal and travelling worke rs.