HIV status of female sex partners of men reactive to HIV-1, HIV-2 or both viruses in Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire.
OBJECTIVE
To compare rates of serologic concordance in the female sex partners of men with HIV-1 and HIV-2 infections, and to determine the serologic status of sex partners of men who reacted serologically to both viruses.


METHODS
Cross-sectional study.


METHODS
Infectious diseases service in a University Hospital in Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire (West Africa).


METHODS
Hospitalized men reactive on synthetic peptide-based tests to HIV-1, HIV-2 or both viruses (dually reactive), and their spouses visiting them in hospital.


METHODS
Serologic status of female spouses of seropositive men.


RESULTS
The serologic status of 540 spouses of 490 HIV-1- and/or HIV-2-positive, hospitalized men was studied. Similar proportions of spouses of HIV-1-infected men (49%) and HIV-2-infected men (44%) were concordantly seropositive. The overall prevalence of infection in spouses of dually reactive men (72%) was significantly higher than in spouses of other men; 44% of these spouses were infected with HIV-1, 8% with HIV-2, and 20% were themselves dually reactive. Considering only the seropositive female spouses of men monotypically reactive to HIV-1 or HIV-2, and the male spouses of women monotypically infected, rates of serologic discordance were significantly greater in men (24%) than women (7%).


CONCLUSIONS
Men were likely to have been infected earlier than women because of their HIV-associated illness; also, men more frequently had serologic profiles indicative of infection outside of the union. Rates of serologic concordance in spouses of men with advanced HIV-1 or HIV-2 infection were similar (44-49%). Dually reactive hospitalized men frequently (72%) had seropositive sex partners, most of whom were HIV-1-positive. Dual reactivity was also frequent in these spouses, suggesting transmission of both HIV-1 and HIV-2, or of a cross-reactive strain, and a minority of partners were infected with HIV-2 alone. Prospective studies of discordant couples using quantitative molecular diagnostic techniques are required for better understanding of dual reactivity and transmission of HIV-1 and HIV-2.
N'Gbichi
J M
JM
Projet RETRO-CI, Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire.
De Cock
K M
KM
Batter
V
V
Yeboue
K
K
Ackah
A
A
Zadi
F
F
Diallo
M O
MO
Kadio
A
A
Gayle
H D
HD
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D007560:Cote d'Ivoire / Q000453:epidemiology; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000635:transmission*; D015528:HIV Seroprevalence; D015497:HIV-1; D015498:HIV-2; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012725:Sexual Behavior; D012747:Sexual Partners