AEGiS-14IAC: HIV prevalence in ANC population in one of the region's largest study.

14th International AIDS Conference

Barcelona, Spain - July 7-12, 2002

HIV prevalence in ANC population in one of the region's largest study.

Int Conf AIDS 2002 Jul 7-12; 14:(abstract no. C10705)

Gilada IS, Damania KR
People's Health Organisation (India), Mumbai, India

BACKGROUND: The sexually transmitted disease of HIV is already in its third phase with rising prevalence among women and children, with current rates of 1% ANC clinics and blood banks in six states in India. Mumbai, a city of 12.4 million people has been labeled as the AIDS capital of India, though in reality, efforts have been successful in reducing new cases of HIV infection, despite some unsubstantiated surveillance data that show a rise in HIV infection among married women. Our NGO initiated pioneering 'Safe-Motherhood' project, in collaboration with a large women's hospital, is designed to reduce disastrous socioeconomic impact of HIV/AIDS. Local adaptation to ACTG-076 with sense of urgency was imperative and was thus incorporated in the project.

METHODS: 12,000 women each year undergo pre-test discussion in groups of 10-15 which is followed by a sequential pooled -plasma HIV antibody screening. Initial reactives were reconfirmed by retesting. The option to decide the fate of pregnancy and modified ACTG-076 at 32 weeks is offered.

RESULTS: Of the 108,881 women screened from 1993, 1490 (cumulative prevalence=1.37%) are HIV positive; and prevalence ranging from 0.64% in 1993 to 1.76 at present. [table: see text] Our study shows a slow but steady rise over last 8 years. Similar studies show a prevalence rate of 3.5% of 8000 pregnant women Doubts remain as to the accuracy of the methodology and case selection of these studies.

CONCLUSIONS: A steady rising trend of HIV prevalence from 1993 to 1998, followed by plateau or even decline shows HIV is leveling off in Mumbai. This is corroborated with static prevalence rates of adult male blood donors in the city. This Project has been included in the 'Best Practices' of the UNAIDS.

Keywords: AEGIS, Prevalence, HIV, HIV Infections, HIV Seropositivity, Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome, HIV Antibodies, Sexually Transmitted Diseases, HIV Seroprevalence, Population, India, Human, Female, Adult, Child, Male, Pregnancy, epidemiology, immunology

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