HIV antibodies in seafarers, fishermen and in other population groups in the Gdansk Region (1993-1996).

In 1993-1996, serological tests for HIV were performed comprising seamen, fishermen, people travelling abroad, drug addicts, patients of National Health Service Hospitals, health workers and other groups of people from the Gdansk Region. HIV-antibodies were determined by means of immunoezymatic method ELISA, using Abbot's test recombinant HIV1/HIV2 third generation. Positive results were verified with the aid of the specific confirmation test Western blot. All in all there were 34,911 tests made and in 40 patients (0.11%) HIV-antibodies were revealed. In the group of seafarers made of 26,988 people HIV-antibodies were detected in 14 men (0.05%): 11 seamen and 3 deep-sea fishermen. The group of people travelling abroad consisted of 4269 subjects, and out them 6 men (0.18%) and one woman (0.12%) were seropositive. Out of 137 people from the group of risk-drug addicts taking narcotics intravenously-8 men (8%) and one women (2.7%) were infected. In the group of 2442 National Health Service patients, HIV-antibodies were noted in 5 men (0.31%) and one women (0.12%). Out of 172 health service workers examined nobody was infected. The group defined as "other subjects", was composed of 703 men, out which 2 were seropositive (0.28%) and 200 women-2 of them had HIV-antibodies (1.0%). The majority of seropositive subjects were men, 35 of them; there were 5 seropositive women.

Prevalence of HIV-antibodies in maritime workers and in other selected population groups in Poland.

The objective of the present work was to determine prevalence of HIV-antibodies in the following population groups: 1. Seamen, fishermen and dockers from region of Gdansk and Szczecin 2. Travellers abroad. 3. Special risk groups (intravenous drug users, prostitutes, homosexuals, haemophiliacs) mostly from Gdansk region. 4. Hospital patients, prisoners, other people. Abbott recombinant HIV 1/HIV 2 EIA was used for the detection of antibodies to HIV type 1 and/or type 2. In the period from 1987 to 1992, 70,297 examinations were made. HIV-antibodies were detected in 165 people (0.23%). Out of 35,084 subjects in the first group (926 women and 34,158 men). 20 men were found seropositive (0.06%). The majority of them--16 men were seamen, 3 were fishermen and one was a harbour worker. In the second group made of 27,403 people including 3,640 females, HIV-antibodies were revealed in 9 men (0.04%) and one woman. In the third group, there were 965 people including 482 women; among them there were 104 men and 19 women infected (12.8%). Out of the 349 prostitutes examined 2 were infected (0.05%). Among 79 homosexuals, 4 were found infected. In the sample of 14 haemophiliacs none demonstrated HIV-antibodies. In 6,845 subjects of the fourth group (5938 males and 907 females), 12 males were seropositive (0.18%). In that number 5 were prisoners, other 5 were hospital patients and 2 were known to have homosexual relationship with infected men. The majority of subjects with HIV-antibodies were men--145 (88%) of the total number of subjects infected, aged 20-40.

Human pathogenic viruses in waters of Lake Zarnowieckie (north Poland).

The objective of the study was to determine the occurrence of viruses pathogenic to man in the Lake Zarnowieckie and its neighbourhood that is in the area that was to be terminally polluted by the nuclear power-station built there. In 1990, the construction of the power-station was given up, and it will not be finished. In 1986-1989, water samples were periodically collected from a number of sampling points in the Lake Zarnowieckie, the Piasnica river, and from the coastal water of the Baltic Sea. The total of 304 water samples were examined virologically, out of this number 51 (16.8%) showed a positive cytopathic effect in green monkey kidney cell culture GMK, indicating the presence of enteroviruses and adenoviruses. The isolated viruses were identified with the aid of serological neutralization reaction. Of the three types of enteroviruses, identified were: polio-serotypes 1, 2, 3--seven times (they were vaccine viruses probably, because poliomyelitis has almost been eradicated in Poland, the reported number of cases was from 0 to 4 annually), coxsackie B-2, 3, 4, 5 serotypes-20 times; ECHO-4, 5, 6, 7, 9, 11, 12 serotypes-22 times and adenoviruses-5 serotype-3 times. Obtaining viruses from the majority sampling points of the Lake Zarnowieckie testified for their wide spread in waters of the lake. Isolation of coxsackie B and ECHO in spring and autumn, and polio and adenoviruses in summer suggested the seasonal character of their occurrence. The presence of enteroviruses in the water coming from the sewage treatment plant proved their not complete inactivation during the treatment process.