| Popis: |
The authors make out a statement about HIV infection in French Polynesia at the date of 1991 December 31. 96 cases all together of seropositive and AIDS infected people were recorded. These patients are young generally (78 p.c. between 21 and 40 years old) sexually contaminated (72 out of 96) and live in Tahiti island (94 p.c.). Sex-ratio is 2.8 male/1 female. Among them, we noted 55 p.c. of Europeans, 38 p.c. of Polynesians and 7 p.c. of Asiatic people. Epidemiological monitoring of the infection was made easy because of a set of laws and possibilities of detection highly favourable. Progress of the infection is constant, with 20 new cases detected each year with a prevalence of 150 cases of AIDS per 1 million of inhabitants, French Polynesia could be classified as the 5th or 6th region of France as far as the importance of the disease. Clinical, biological and epidemiological taking of charge of patients is detailed as well as the prevention campaign.Serological surveillance of HIV infection in accordance with World Health Organization guidelines has taken place in French Polynesia since 1985. 20,000 tests are conducted annually in a population not exceeding 200,000. 30% of tests are among blood donors. An average of 20 new cases of HIV infection are diagnosed each year. A total of 96 cases of HIV infection or AIDS were reported to the public health authorities between 1985 and December 31, 1990. 78% of the 96 persons were aged 21-40 years. The sex ratio was 2.8 men per woman. 55% were in Europeans (53 cases among 24,000 European residents), and 7% were in Asians (7 cases among 10,000 Asians). 94% of the patients were inhabitants of Tahiti. 44 of the 96 patients were male homosexuals or bisexuals, 18 were heterosexuals with multiple partners, 13 received transfusions before 1985, 10 were sex partners of seropositive persons, 9 were former addicts, 1 was the infant of an infected mother, and 1 had no known risk factor. ELISA tests were conducted in 6 different laboratories in the island of Tahiti, with confirmation by Western blot at the laboratory of the Louis Mallarde Territorial Medical Research Institute. Contacts are traced and tested, and seropositive individuals are followed regularly, with consultations at 6 month intervals for seropositive persons. Of the 46 patients present in the territory as of December 1990, 36 were at stage 1, 2 at stage 2, 5 at stage 3, and 3 at stage 4 according to the World Health Organization guidelines. 20 of the other 50 had died and 30 left the territory. |
