PREVALENCE OF HUMAN IMMUNODEFICIENCY VIRUS-INFECTION AMONG PREGNANT-WOMEN ATTENDING ANTENATAL CLINIC IN MAIDUGURI, NORTH-EASTERN NIGERIA

A seroepidemiological survey conducted among 1,059 pregnant women in Maiduguri, North-eastern Nigeria from September, 1988 to April, 1990 showed that 5 women or 0.47% were positive for HIV antibodies. Three of the women (0.28%) were positive for HIV-1 while 2 others (0.19%) were positive for HIV-2; this is consistent with the known fact that both viruses are active in West Africa, a sub-region of which Nigeria is part. Detailed information available on 4 of the 5 seropositive women and their husbands did not reveal any known risk factor favouring HIV-infection. In addition to the 5 confirmed seropositive women, 10 others (0.94%) gave Western blot patterns that were neither HIV-1 nor HIV-2. The significance of this observation, if any, needs to be clarified.