HIV infection in rural villages of Cameroon.
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.
Nyambi
Phillipe
P
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
Zekeng
Leopold
L
Kenfack
Henriette
H
Tongo
Marcel
M
Nanfack
Aubin
A
Nkombe
Innocent
I
Ndonko
Flavien
F
Shang
Judith
J
Burda
Sherri
S
Mbah
Henry
H
Agyingi
Lucy
L
Zhong
Ping
P
Nádas
Arthur
A
Zolla-Pazner
Susan
S
Marmor
Michael
M
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
D015483:HIV Antibodies