Prevalence of HIV infection in STD clinic attenders in Barbados - abstract

ABSTRACT

In October 1987, an HIV counselling and testing study was initiated at Barbados' principal STD Clinic. The aim of the study was to determine the asymptomatic HIV carriage rate in a potentially high-risk population. Sequentially selected patients were counselled, and those agreeing to the HIV test were screened for antibodies, using Karpas AIDS test and the Abbott Recombinant ELISA test. Seropositive results were confirmed by Western Blot at CAREC. One hundred and eighteen males and eighty females were counselled. One hundred and eight males agreed to be tested and six (5.5 percent) were positve. Seventy-six females accepted the test and one (1.3 percent) was positive. The Karpas AIDS test as a screening test correlates satisfactorily with the Abbot ELISA. Of the seropositive patients for whom information is available, five of five males admitted to sex with prostitutes, three of five patients claimed sexual contact with tourists and five of five males admitted to sex with prostitutes, three of five patients claimed sexual contact with tourists and five of six had had a positive VDRL test for syphilis in the previous five years. The females was a prostitute and one of the positive males was bisexual. This male and one other positive male had received a blood transfusion in the previous five years. In this study population, HIV infection appears to be predominantly heterosexually acquired and particularly associated with sexual contact with prostitutes. A possible association between HIV infection sex with tourist needs further study (AU)