E. Esuwilliams et al., SEROPREVALENCE OF HIV-1, HIV-2, AND HIV-1 GROUP-O IN NIGERIA - EVIDENCE FOR A GROWING INCREASE OF HIV-INFECTION, Journal of acquired immune deficiency syndromes and human retrovirology, 16(3), 1997, pp. 204-210
To determine current data on HIV infection and to further confirm the
presence of HIV-1 group O infection in Nigeria, 2300 samples from five
states were tested for the presence of HIV antibody. A convenience sa
mpling was obtained from pregnant women, tuberculosis (TB) patients, c
ommercial sex workers (CSWs), blood donors, patients with sexually tra
nsmitted diseases (STDs), patients with skin diseases, male clients of
CSWs, outpatients suspected to have AIDS, truck drivers, and communit
y dwellers. With the exception of pregnant women, the HIV prevalences
in all these groups were high: 60.6% in CSWs, 16.2% in TB patients, 7,
7% in blood donors in some states, and 16% in the rural area of Kano S
tate. Male clients of CSWs, truck drivers, and STD patients had preval
ences of 7.8%, 8.6%, and 21.2%, respectively, Regional differences in
relation to HIV prevalences were observed: HIV-2 and most of the HIV-1
/2 infections were found in the southern states of Nigeria, Higher HIV
prevalences were observed in the north-northeast in pregnant women, T
B patients, and CSWs, but for blood donors, higher rates were seen in
the southeast-southwest. One asymptomatic 50-year-old woman, a communi
ty dweller in Kano, was identified to be HIV-1 group O-positive. Compa
red with data from national surveillance studies in 1991/1992 and 1993
/1994, a substantial increase in HIV infection was observed. Our resul
ts show a growing incidence of HIV infection in Nigeria and suggest th
e presence of a rural HIV epidemic. The identification of HIV-1 group
O in Kano hows that this virus strain is geographically widespread in
Nigeria.