title: Symptoms and findings related to HIV in women in rural Gutu District, Zimbabwe, 1992 to 1993.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To relate self-reported morbidity and clinical findings to HIV-status in rural women in Zimbabwe.
  
  
  METHODS
  A cross sectional study.
  
  
  METHODS
  12 randomly selected villages in rural Gutu District, Zimbabwe.
  
  
  METHODS
  In 1992 to 1993 all women of fertile age (15 to 44 years) in the selected villages were interviewed and examined (n = 1,213). Retrospectively, HIV status was assessed anonymously from frozen blood samples.
  
  
  METHODS
  Self-reported morbidity, body mass index (BMI), arm circumference, palpable lymphnodes, prevalence of syphilis, haemoglobin, HIV status.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Overall HIV prevalence was 22%. Mean haemoglobin (Hb) was significantly lower (p < 0.005) and anaemia was significantly more common (p < 0.001) among HIV positive women. Syphilis prevalence was 2.2%, a positive syphilis test increased the risk of being HIV positive three-fold. Persistent cough was significantly more common in HIV positives (OR = 3.0, 95% CI 1.4-6.2). Palpable lymphnodes was the most common clinical finding and generalised lymph adenopathy had a positive predictive value of 67% for HIV. Self-reported morbidity was low and no increased pregnancy loss was reported related to HIV.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The low morbidity found in 1992 to 1993, in spite of the high prevalence, indicates a fairly short duration of the HIV infection and would also have contributed to the late awareness of the problem.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Sundsvall Central Hospital, Mid Sweden Research and Development Center, Sundsvall, Sweden. Carin.Nilses@lvn.se
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Nilses
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Nystrom
authors.forename: S P
authors.initials: SP
authors.lastname: Munjanja
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Lindmark
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D015897:Comorbidity; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications* / Q000453:epidemiology*; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D009017:Morbidity; D011159:Population Surveillance; D011247:Pregnancy; D011251:Pregnancy Complications, Infectious / Q000097:blood / Q000453:epidemiology*; D011256:Pregnancy Outcome / Q000453:epidemiology; D015995:Prevalence; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012423:Rural Health / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013587:Syphilis / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology; D016387:Women's Health; D015030:Zimbabwe / Q000453:epidemiology