title: A comparison of HIV-1 and HIV-2 infections in hospitalized patients in Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire.
abstract: In late 1988, a cross-sectional study of 1715 adult medical patients hospitalized in Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire, west Africa, showed an overall prevalence of HIV infection of 46% in men and 28% in women. On the basis of specific testing by whole virus enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), Western blot and synthetic peptide ELISA, HIV-1 infection was found in 25%, HIV-2 infection in 4%, and reactivity to both viruses in 11% of male and female patients combined. People infected with HIV-2, as well as those who were reactive to both HIV-1 and HIV-2, had a frequency of AIDS-associated symptoms and signs similar to that in HIV-1-infected patients, and significantly greater than that in seronegative patients. The significance of dual reactivity, and the natural history and disease spectrum of HIV-2 infection, require further study. Synthetic peptide ELISA is valuable for specific serodiagnosis of HIV-1 and HIV-2 infections. Advanced HIV-2 infection in hospitalized patients in Abidjan is associated with the same symptoms and signs as HIV-1 infection.
authors.affiliation: Projet RETRO-CI, Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire.
authors.forename: K M
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: De Cock
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Odehouri
authors.forename: R L
authors.initials: RL
authors.lastname: Colebunders
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Adjorlolo
authors.forename: M F
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: Lafontaine
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Porter
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Gnaore
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Diaby
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Moreau
authors.forename: W L
authors.initials: WL
authors.lastname: Heyward
mesh_terms: D000163:Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology*; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D007560:Cote d'Ivoire / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D015497:HIV-1; D015498:HIV-2; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence