Sexual behaviour and risk factors for HIV infection in a group of male factory workers who donated blood in Harare; Zimbabwe

Zimbabwe has experienced a rapid rise in HIV seroprevalence in recent years. As many as 1 million people (10 of the population) are predicted to become seropositive by 2000. We examined social and behavioral factors associated with HIV infection in a case-control study among male factory workers who donated blood before the launching of the AIDS Awareness Campaign. There were 188 subjects: 69 were HIV-positive and 118 were HIV-negative. High risk behaviour was common in both groups. Among seronegative men; 73.1 reported a sexually transmitted disease (STD); 55.5 reported cash payment for sex; and 73.1; and 73.1 had outside girlfriends. Nonetheless; HIV-positive men were more likely to report a hisotry of STD (OR = 3.9; 95 CI = 1.5-11.9); particulary genital ulcers (OR= 2.4; 95 CI = 1.2-4.8) and extramarital partners (OR = 2.8;95 CI = 1.1-7.1). HIV-positive men reported more lifetime partners (16.5 vs. 12;p less then 0.05 and were less likely to live with their wives. (OR = 0.51;95 CI = 0.23-1.15). [abstract terminated]

Clinical and laboratory characteristics of HIV-1 infection in Zimbabwe

To define the impact of human immunolodeficiency virus (HIV) infection in Africa; clinical and laboratory investigations were conducted on 265 HIV-seropositive outpatients in Zimbabwe. Twenty-four of the study subjects were asymptomatic (ASX); 124 had persistent generalized lympademopathy (PGL); and 117 had AIDS-related complex (ARC). HIV infection was assessed by commercial ELISA; Western blots; synthetic peptide ELISA; and measurement of p24 antigen. Serum immunoglobulins; lympocyte mitogen responses; and CD4+ cell numbers were obrtained in 54 sequential patients. Compared to seronegative subjects meab CD4+ cell numbers were decreased and serum immunoglobulins; particularly IgM and IgG; were increased in all groups of seropositive subjects. [abstract terminated]