ABSTRACT
A.I.D.S. is a true public health problem in Central Africa since its "appearance" in 1983. Several authors have described its clinical manifestations, as well as the absence of groups at risk and a sex ratio near to 1. The present study, carried out in Pointe-Noire hospital (Popular Republic of Congo) tries to select in connexion with sex and age, one or several clinical symptoms which should indicate the necessity of requesting a HIV serology test. Four groups have been isolated: a) patients with very important loss of weight and chronic or intermittent diarrhea, b) fever with loss of weight and pulmonary X-Ray anomalies, c) polyadenopathies, d) associated opportunistic infections and Kaposi sarcoma. In Africa, A.I.D.S. strikes all age groups and both sex. There is one group at risk: transfused patients, particularly the sickle-cell anemia homozygotes.