final program.qxd - Parallels Plesk Panel

PP 1.5
Rapid shift from HIV-2 to HIV-1 in police officers in Guinea-Bissau, West Africa
H Norrgren 1 , F Månsson 2 , AJ Biague 3 , ZJ da Silva 3 , S Andersson 4 , F Dias 3 ,
R Thorstensson 5 , M Jansson 6 , E-M Fenyö 6
1
Division of Clinical and Experimental Infection Medicine, Department of Clinical Sciences,
Lund University, Lund, Sweden
2
Infectious Diseases Research Unit, Department of Clinical Sciences, Malmö, Lund
University, Sweden
3
National Public Health Laboratory, Bissau, Guinea-Bissau
4
Department of Clinical Microbiology, Örebro University Hospital, Sweden
5
National Institute for Infectious Disease Control, Stockholm, Sweden
6
Division of Medical Microbiology, Department of Laboratory Medicine, Lund University,
Lund
Objective
To evaluate trends of HIV-1 and HIV-2 between 1990-2005 in an occupational cohort of
police officers in Guinea-Bissau.
Methods
An open cohort of police officers in Guinea-Bissau was formed in 1990, and up to the end
of 2005, 4059 subjects have been included. 12.1 % were women. Clinical examinations
and testing for antibodies to HIV were performed annually. In June 1998 there was an
out-break of a civil war in Guinea-Bissau that lasted for almost a year. During the war
period no testing was possible, but in July 2000 the inclusion of new individuals could
continue. To evaluate changes in the prevalence of HIV in the police cohort, the study
period was divided in six time periods, 4 periods before and 2 periods after the war.
Results
The prevalence of HIV-1 at the time of inclusion increased from 0.6% 1990-1991 to 10.2%
in 2004-2005 (including HIV-1+HIV-2 dually reactive subjects). Conversely, the
prevalence of HIV-2 declined from 13.3% to 6.2% over the same study period. When
divided in age groups, subjects in the age group 35-44 years showed the most
pronounced increase of HIV-1 prevalence before and after the war, from 3.9% 1996-1998
to 13.0% 2000-2003. In 2004-2005 the prevalence of HIV-1 had further increased to
14.2% in this age group. The age group 18-24 showed the slowest increase of HIV-1 over
the study period, and in 2004-2005 the prevalence was 6.4%. In the same time period and
age group the prevalence of HIV-2 was 0.7%.
POSTERS
Conclusions
The prevalence of HIV-1 had started to increase already before the civil war in Bissau with
doubling of the prevalence every second year (dually reactive subjects included). After the
war the prevalence of HIV-1 has further increased and is now >10%. The prevalence of
HIV-2 has gradually decreased, and in the youngest age group only 0.7% were infected
2004-2005. The rapid shift from HIV-2 to the more virulent HIV-1 calls for a strong and joint
effort in Guinea-Bissau to prevent further spread of HIV-1.
“ Focusing FIRST on PEOPLE “ 89 w w w . i s h e i d . c o m