title: HIV infection in rural villages of Cameroon.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate HIV-1 antibody seroprevalence and risk factors for HIV seropositivity in rural areas of Cameroon.
  
  
  METHODS
  The prevalences of HIV antibodies in 53 villages in rural Cameroon visited during May-October 2000 were determined with an HIV1/2 rapid assay, standard ELISA, and western blot. Demographic data and risk factors were elicited via face-to-face interviews with a structured questionnaire.
  
  
  RESULTS
  HIV seroprevalence was 5.8% (243/4156, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 5.1-6.6) overall, 6.3% (151/2394, 95% CI = 5.4-7.4) among females and 5.2% (92/1762, 95% CI = 4.3-6.4) among males. HIV seroprevalence among persons aged 15 - 70 years did not differ significantly by province (5.6% in Center, 4.5% in East, 6.9% in South, and 5.8% in South-West) ( =.10). Analysis of age- and gender-standardized prevalence by village across provinces indicated a near-significant difference (nonparametric Wilcoxon signed rank test, =.06), with highest prevalence in South-West, followed by South, Center, and East. Multivariate analysis revealed that single women were significantly more likely to be HIV seropositive than were married or widowed women. Women with a history of sexual relations while traveling were at significantly increased risk of HIV seropositivity (OR adjusted for age and marital status = 2.4, 95% CI = 1.4-9.7). Among men, those who reported ever having a sexually transmitted disease were at significantly increased risk of HIV-seropositivity (OR adjusted for age = 1.8, 95% CI = 1.1-2.8).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We have documented a wide range of HIV prevalences among rural villages of Cameroon. Age, marital status (in women) and sexual risk factors appear to be associated with HIV infection in this setting.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, New York University School of Medicine, c/o VA Medical Center, 423 E. 23rd Street, Room 18124N, New York, NY 10010, USA. philippe.nyambi@med.nyu.edu
authors.forename: Phillipe
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Nyambi
authors.forename: Leopold
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Zekeng
authors.forename: Henriette
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kenfack
authors.forename: Marcel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tongo
authors.forename: Aubin
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Nanfack
authors.forename: Innocent
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Nkombe
authors.forename: Flavien
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Ndonko
authors.forename: Judith
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Shang
authors.forename: Sherri
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Burda
authors.forename: Henry
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Mbah
authors.forename: Lucy
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Agyingi
authors.forename: Ping
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Zhong
authors.forename: Arthur
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Nádas
authors.forename: Susan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Zolla-Pazner
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Marmor
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002163:Cameroon / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D006678:HIV / Q000276:immunology / Q000302:isolation & purification; D015483:HIV Antibodies / Q000097:blood; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000276:immunology / Q000821:virology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016017:Odds Ratio; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors; D012423:Rural Health; D016036:Seroepidemiologic Studies
chemical_list: D015483:HIV Antibodies