EVIDENCE OF STABLE HIV SEROPREVALENCES IN SELECTED POPULATIONS IN THEDEMOCRATIC-REPUBLIC OF THE CONGO

Objective: To determine current data on HIV infection and to document changes and trends of HIV seroprevalence in selected populations over time in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC; former Zaire). Meth ods: In February 1997, a large serosurvey was conducted on selected po pulation groups from Kinshasa (capital city), Mbuji-May (southeast) an d Bwamanda (northwest). Samples obtained from pregnant women, tubercul osis patients, commercial sex workers, blood donors and sexually trans mitted disease patients were screened for the presence of HIV antibodi es by a rapid assay and a commercial enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay . All reactive specimens were confirmed and discriminated by a line im munoassay, and were further tested for the presence of HIV-1 group O a ntibodies. Our results were compared to data reported in previous stud ies in Kinshasa. Results: Of a total 1970 samples collected, 219 (11.1 %) were HIV-1-reactive and seven (0.3%) were dually reactive to HIV-1 and HIV-2. No case of HIV-1 group O or HIV-2 infection was diagnosed. HIV seroprevalence in pregnant women was 3.1% (16 out of 511), 6.3% (1 9 out of 300) and 1.5% (one out of 65) in Kinshasa, Mbuji-Mayi, and Bw amanda, respectively. HIV seroprevalence in tuberculosis patients was 26% (52 out of 200), 28% (17 out of 60), and 35.3% (29 out of 83), res pectively. HIV seroprevalence among blood donors was 3.1% in Kinshasa and 2.8% in Mbuji-Mayi. Compared with data from previous studies perfo rmed in Kinshasa, no substantial change in HIV infection rates was obs erved among the selected population groups. Conclusions: Our results s how that HIV prevalence rates have remained relatively unchanged in se lected populations despite the political instability and poor environm ent observed since 1991 in DRC. It also shows the presence, still at v ery low rate, of dual HIV-1/HIV-2 seropositivity and a growing problem of HIV infection in rural areas. In contrast to other Central African countries, no HIV-1 group O infections were detected in DRC. (C) 1998 Lippincott-Raven Publishers.