Comparison of HIV prevalence estimates for Zimbabwe from antenatal clinic surveillance (2006) and the 2005-06 Zimbabwe Demographic and Health Survey.
OBJECTIVE
To assess whether HIV surveillance data from pregnant women attending antenatal care (ANC) clinics in Zimbabwe represent infection levels in the general population.


METHODS
HIV prevalence estimates from ANC surveillance sites in 2006 were compared with estimates from the corresponding Zimbabwe Demographic and Health Survey 2005-06 (ZDHS) clusters using geographic information systems.


RESULTS
The ANC HIV prevalence estimate (17.9%, 95% CI 17.0%-18.8%) was similar to the ZDHS estimates for all men and women aged 15-49 years (18.1%, 16.9%-18.8%), for pregnant women (17.5%, 13.9%-21.9%), and for ANC attendees living within 30 km of ANC surveillance sites (19.9%, 17.1%-22.8%). However, the ANC surveillance estimate (17.9%) was lower than the ZDHS estimates for all women (21.1%, 19.7%-22.6%) and for women living within 30 km catchment areas of ANC surveillance sites (20.9%, 19.4%-22.3%). HIV prevalence in ANC sites classified as urban and rural was significantly lower than in sites classified as "other".


CONCLUSIONS
Periodic population surveys can be used to validate ANC surveillance estimates. In Zimbabwe, ANC surveillance provides reliable estimates of HIV prevalence among men and women aged 15-49 years in the general population. Three classifications of ANC sites (rural/urban/other) should be used when generating national HIV estimates.
AIDS and TB Unit, Ministry of Health and Child Welfare, Harare, Zimbabwe.
Elizabeth
E
Gonese
Janet
J
Dzangare
Simon
S
Gregson
Nicholas
N
Jonga
Owen
O
Mugurungi
Vinod
V
Mishra
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D006306:Health Surveys / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D008403:Mass Screening; D008875:Middle Aged; D011247:Pregnancy; D011251:Pregnancy Complications, Infectious / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D011295:Prenatal Care / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D015995:Prevalence; D012424:Rural Population / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012923:Social Class; D014505:Urban Population / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D055815:Young Adult; D015030:Zimbabwe / Q000453:epidemiology