HIV-2 prevalence in Uttar Pradesh

Serum samples collected since 1989 with various patterns of reactivity for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-1, on the basis of screening ELISA and confirmatory Western blot (WE) test, were subjected to the detection of HIV-2 infection based on screening dot immunoassay and confirmatory WE for HIV-2. Significant prevalence of HIV-2 infection was (37.03%) among sera reactive for HIV-1 by EI,ISA but indeterminate by Western blot, compared with sera reactive for HIV-1 by ELISA and WE (3.29%) or negative by WE (2.63%). Out of 16 HIV-2 positive sera, 5 (31.25%) showed evidence of concomitant HIV-I infection. This study demonstrates evidence of HIV-2 infection as early as 1989, earlier than reported so far from India.