title: Recognition of AIDS by health personnel in rural south-Rwanda.
abstract: The ability of rural health personnel to recognise AIDS related symptoms and signs according to the WHO clinical case definition (CCD) and its modified Rwandan version was tested in 4141 clinically suspected cases in South-Rwanda. The sensitivities of these CCDs for AIDS in adults were 33% (36%), the specificities 78% (76%), and the positive predictive values (ppv) 46%. For AIDS in children the sensitivities of the CCDs were 13% (16%), the specificities 94% (90%), and the ppv 44% (38%). While the specificities did not differ from those found in studies conducted by trained physicians, the low sensitivities and predictive values demand improvement of the training of the health personnel to diagnose AIDS related symptoms and signs, especially where laboratory tests are not available.
authors.affiliation: Landesinstitut für Tropenmedizin Berlin, Germany.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Harms
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Kleinfeldt
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Bugingo
authors.forename: J B
authors.initials: JB
authors.lastname: Butera
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kirsch
authors.forename: U
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Bienzle
mesh_terms: D015492:AIDS Serodiagnosis / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D000163:Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology; D015528:HIV Seroprevalence; D006282:Health Personnel / Q000193:education; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012423:Rural Health; D012424:Rural Population; D012432:Rwanda / Q000453:epidemiology; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D014944:World Health Organization