AEGiS-13IAC: HIV sentinel surveillance in Peru.

13th International AIDS Conference

Durban, South Africa - July 9-July 14, 2000

HIV sentinel surveillance in Peru.

Int Conf AIDS 2000 Jul 9-14; 13:(abstract no. ThOrC677)

Carcamo C, Minaya P, Chiong M, Flores R, Rusell K, Galvan R, Chiappe M, Segura P, Negrete M, Leiva R, Sanchez J
C. Carcamo, Procetss, Gregorio Escobedo 774 D, Jesus Maria, Lima 11, Peru, Tel.: +51 1 460 61 57, Fax: +51 1 433 62 32, E-mail: carcamo@u.washington.edu

ISSUES: It is necessary to determine the status and trends of the HIV epidemic in Per. Sentinel surveillance in specific populations is an affordable and adequate tool for monitoring the HIV epidemic.

DESCRIPTION: Universal syphilis screening for mothers at first antenatal control and at time of delivery was implemented in 1996 in Peru by the National HIV and STD Control Program. Sera collected for that purpose at time of delivery has been used for annual sentinel surveillance studies to determine HIV prevalence and trends from 1996 to 1999. All sera collected from women 15 to 24 years old delivering during a two month period at 10 hospitals in Lima and one to three hospitals in smaller cities were sent for anonymous unlinked HIV testing at a reference laboratory in Lima. The average number of samples tested each year was 7781. HIV prevalences in Lima were 0.28%, 0.58%, 0.23% and 0.30% for 1996, 1997, 1998 and 1999 respectively. Prevalences for most other cities are lower. In 1998 the National Program decided to add HIV sentinel surveillance of commercial sex workers and men who have sex with men. After a counseling session, a voluntary HIV test was offered to female sex workers seeking their monthly STD screening at 2 health centers in Lima and eight in other cities of Peru during a two month period. A risk behavior questionnaire was applied to all consenting women, and test results were given after a post-test counseling session. Overall 4480 women were tested for HIV. The prevalence for female sex workers in Lima was 1.6%, and in other cities it ranged from 0% to 1.7%. No risk behavior variable showed a statistically significant association with HIV infection. HIV Sentinel Surveillance for Men who have sex with men are presented in a separate abstract.

CONCLUSION: The HIV prevalence at time of delivery for women 15 to 24 years in Peru remains below 1%. For the first time in Peru, HIV prevalence in female sex workers is over 1%.

Keywords: AEGIS, HIV Infections, Sentinel Surveillance, Prevalence, HIV Seropositivity, Prostitution, Risk-Taking, Syphilis, Peru, Human, Male, Female
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ThOrC677