Title: Changes in HIV-2 seroprevalence in Cape Verde, West Africa [letter]

POPLINE Document Number: 081370

Author(s):

Caussy D
Terrinha A
Evans AC
Reis DD
Nunes JF
Blattner WA

Source citation:

JAIDS. Journal of Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndromes, 1993;6(4):432-3.

Abstract:

Virologists conducted HIV serodiagnostic tests on serum samples from 339 san Nicolau natives living on the island of San Nicolau, Cape Verde and from 313 San Nicolau immigrants living in New England, US (from 1963) and from 335 San Nicolau, Cape Verde natives (from 1987) to determine whether HIV-2 existed in Cape Verde in 1963 and to compare the 1963 prevalence with that of 1987. Among the 1963 serum samples, 2 (0.6%) samples from immigrants living in New England and 2 (0.6%) samples from San Nicolau natives reacted to the HIV-2 ELISA (just in the p24 band), but the immunoblot analysis did not confirm HIV-2 positivity in any of these samples. On the other hand, 28 samples (8.4%) from San Nicolau natives in 1987 reacted to HIV-2 ELISA, yet, the immunoblot analysis confirmed HIV-2 positivity (gp140/41) in just 4 (1.2%) samples. There was a statistically significant difference in the prevalence between 1963 and 1987 (p = .049). These findings suggested that HIV-2 was relatively new to Cape Verde in 1987 and has recently infected humans. This study should settle the controversy surrounding the concern that Cape Verde may be the origin for HIV-2 transmission in the US sparked by detection of 3 HIV-2 positive cases in the late 1980s among immigrants with Cape Verdean origins living in New England. Nevertheless, the distribution of HIV-2 could be similar to that of HIV-1 in that they both dispersed more widely as people became more migratory.

Keywords:

Cape Verde
United States
Research Report
Historical Review
HIV Testing
HIV Transmission
Prevalence
Migrants
International Migration
Native-Born
Changes
Africa, Western
Africa, Sub Saharan
Africa
Developing Countries
Developed Countries
North America
Americas
Laboratory Examinations and Diagnoses
Examinations and Diagnoses
HIV Infections
Viral Diseases
Diseases
Measurement
Research Methodology
Migration
Population Dynamics
Demographic Factors
Population
Nationality
Population Characteristics
Social Change