One year surveillance of HIV-1 infection in Johannesburg, South Africa

A sero-epidemiological surveillance study to monitor the prevalence of HIV-1 infection in Johannesburg, South Africa, was commenced in February 1988. The population selected for study were attenders at clinics for sexually transmitted diseases (STD) and at family planning (FP) clinics. In the 12 months of the study 6631 sera were tested. Of the STD attenders, 15 of 1224 black females (1·2%) and 21 of 2482 black males (0·8%) were positive. Of the 449 white males tested 49 were homosexual, amongst whom 10 (20·4%) were positive; in the heterosexual white male group 4 of 400 (1·0%) were positive. Of the FP clinic attenders, 4 of 1459 black females (0·3%) were positive. 68 of the 6631 sera tested were indeterminate for infection. No attenders were positive for HIV-2 infection. These data confirmed the entry of HIV infection into the black population in South Africa.