title: Serological evidence for human immunodeficiency virus type 2 in east Africa.
abstract: Infection by human immunodeficiency virus type 2 (HIV-2) has not previously been described in North or East Africa. We examined over 1200 sera of high-risk individuals from three North/East African countries for antibodies to HIV-2. Results indicated that 17 were repeatedly reactive by ELISA; 4 were confirmed by Western blot. Of the 4 confirmed, 2 produced strong reactions to the envelope antigens of HIV-2 but not of HIV-1. One of these subjects was a foreigner from Senegal who was tested while in Egypt and one was a Djiboutian prostitute who was infected presumably prior to October 1987. We conclude that HIV-2 has been introduced into this region and that specific testing of selected individuals for HIV-2 is warranted.
authors.affiliation: US Naval Medical Research Unit 3, Cairo, Egypt.
authors.forename: N T
authors.initials: NT
authors.lastname: Constantine
authors.forename: M F
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: Sheba
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Fox
authors.forename: J N
authors.initials: JN
authors.lastname: Woody
authors.forename: E A
authors.initials: EA
authors.lastname: Abbatte
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000351:Africa, Eastern / Q000453:epidemiology; D015153:Blotting, Western; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D015528:HIV Seroprevalence; D015498:HIV-2 / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012307:Risk Factors