Epidemiology and Infection

Table of Contents - 2000 - Volume 125, Issue 01  


Seroprevalence of HIV and HTLV in a representative sample of the Spanish population

J. CASTILLA a1c1, I. PACHÓN a1, M. P. GONZÁLEZ a2, C. AMELA a1, L. MUÑOZ a2, O. TELLO a1, I. NOGUER a3, F. DE ORY a2, P. LEÓN a2, M. ALONSO a2, E. GIL a4 and A. GARCÍA-SÁIZ a2
a1 National Centre for Epidemiology, Centro Nacional de Epidemiología, Sinesio Delgado, 6, Madrid 28029, Spain
a2 National Microbiology Centre, Carlos III Institute of Public Health, Madrid
a3 Secretariat for the National AIDS Plan, Ministry of Public Health and Consumer Affairs, Madrid
a4 Deputy General Director for Epidemiology, Education and Promotion, Ministry of Public Health and Consumer Affairs, Madrid

Abstract

HIV and HTLV seroprevalence was determined by means of unlinked anonymous testing of 2144 sera, originally obtained from primary care patients by representative sampling of the Spanish population aged 15-39 years in 1996. HIV-1 seroprevalence was 4·3 per 1000 population in the 15–39 years age group [95% confidence interval (CI), 1·5–10·7] and 5·6 per 1000 (95% CI, 1·8–15·3) in the 20–39 years age group. Seroprevalence proved higher in males and urban residents. No antibodies to HIV-2 and HTLV-I were detected in any of the sera studied. However, presence of antibodies to HTLV-II was confirmed in one serum sample, while HTLV seroreactivity, though detected in another, could not be typed. The two HTLV-positive results equated to a seroprevalence of 1·9 per 1000 in the 20–39 years age group (95% CI, 0·3–8·6). HIV-1 seroprevalence was consistent with previous estimates yielded by back-calculation. The level of HTLV seroprevalence found suggests endemicity.

(Accepted April 25 2000)


Correspondence:
c1 Author for correspondence.

Metrics
Related Content