Jpn. J. Infect. Dis., 57, 264-267, 2004
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Original Article
HIV and Syphilis Infection among Elderly People in Northwest Ethiopia
Afework Kassu1,7*, Alemayehu Mekonnen2, Abebe Bekele3, Nuru Abseno4, Endalkachew Melese5, Feleke Moges1, Yared Wondmikun6 and Fusao Ota7
1Department of Microbiology
and Parasitology,
2Department of Community Health,
3Department of Surgery,
5Department of Internal Medicine
and
6Department of Physiology, University
of Gondar, Gondar,4Department
of Gynaecology and Obstetrics, Faculty of Medicine, Addis Ababa
University, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia and 7Department
of Preventive Environment and Nutrition, Systems of Nutritional
Sciences, Graduate School of Health Biosciences Research, the
University of Tokushima, Tokushima 770-8503, Japan
(Received May 31, 2004. Accepted August 2, 2004)
*Corresponding author: Present address: Department of Preventive Environment and Nutrition, Systems of Nutritional Sciences, Graduate School of Health Biosciences Research, the University of Tokushima, Kuramoto-cho 3-18-15, Tokushima 770-8503, Japan Tel: +81-088-633-9598, Fax: +81-088-633-7410, E-mail: afeworkkassu@yahoo.com
SUMMARY: The prevalence of HIV has been continually increasing both in urban and rural Ethiopia. As yet, there has been no report on the magnitude of the problem in the elderly and rural population. This study assessed the seroprevalence of HIV and syphilis infection among 706 elderly and predominantly rural subjects in Northwest Ethiopia. Socio-demographic information was collected using a structured questionnaire. Venous blood was collected and the serostatus of HIV and that of syphilis were checked by ELISA and RPR, respectively. The total HIV-1 seroprevalence was 5% (35/706). Sex-specific prevalences of HIV for males and females were 5.6 and 4.7% respectively. A 4.2% difference in prevalence was observed by area of residence, which was statistically significant, P = 0.018. Only 6% of subjects positive for syphilis were also positive for HIV, while 4.9% of subjects negative for syphilis were positive for HIV. The data indicates that the prevalence of HIV among elderly people in Northwest Ethiopia was high. This indicates the importance of involving the elderly in HIV/AIDS prevention and control programs.