title: Evaluation of the WHO clinical case definition for AIDS in rural Zaire.
abstract: The clinical case definition for AIDS proposed by WHO for use in Africa was evaluated against HIV antibody status in 72 patients in rural Zaire. Twenty-one (29%) of the patients were antibody-positive. For diagnosing anti-HIV seropositivity, the case definition had a sensitivity of 52%, a specificity of 78%, a positive predictive value of 50% and a negative predictive value of 80%. Calculation of the positive predictive value at different levels of prevalence of HIV infection suggests that the case definition operates at maximum reliability in selected high-risk groups. Modifications to the case definition should be evaluated to try and improve its sensitivity and positive predictive value.
mesh_terms: D000163:Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome / Q000175:diagnosis*; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D015023:Democratic Republic of the Congo; D006679:HIV Seropositivity / Q000453:epidemiology*; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D012424:Rural Population; D014944:World Health Organization