Namwebya JH, Turyagyenda J, Baryarama F, Murana E, Kalule J, Mukasa R, Tumuhairwe K, Wangalwa S, Bunnell R; International Conference on AIDS.

Int Conf AIDS. 2000 Jul 9-14; 13: abstract no. WePeD4527.

J. H. Namwebya, AIDS Information Centre, P.O. BOx 10446, Kampala, Uganda, Tel.: +256 77 498 175, E-mail: rbunnell@infocom.co.ug

Background: In a high prevalence setting where most HIV infected people do not know their serostatus, there is a great risk of HIV transmission when a person with previously unidentified HIV infection initiates a new sexual relationship. Preventing this transmission of HIV to a new partner is a high priority and one of the potential benefits of HIV voluntary counselling and testing (VCT). Methods: Individuals and couples who come to AIDS Information Center in Uganda for VCT are interviewed to obtain demographic and sexual history data. Data for the period January to September 1999 were merged and analysed. Results: Of 4646 couples, 3218 (69%) reported that they had never had sex together but were intending to marry or to start a sexual relationship. Of these, 2945 couples (92%) were concordant HIV negative, 31 (1%) were both HIV positive and 242 (8%) were HIV discordant. Among the discordant couples, the male partner was HIV positive in 95 couples (39%) and the female partner HIV positive in 147 (69%). Among 124 couples where the man was HIV positive, 95 (75%) of the prospective female partners were HIV negative; among the 178 couples where the woman was HIV positive, 147 (83%) of the prospective male partners were HIV negative. Thus, among these AIC clients, the probability of a man with HIV infection intending to have sex with a new partner who is HIV negative is 0.75 and among the HIV positive women the probability is 0.83. Conclusions: Our data on couples intending to get married or to start a sexual relationship indicates that there is a high probability that persons who are HIV positive will develop sexual relationships with HIV negative partners and unknowingly transmit HIV. If VCT is not readily available, there would be a high risk of HIV transmission. AIDS education messages need to emphasize the benefits of VCT before marriage and before new sexual relationships.

Publication Types:

• Meeting Abstracts

Keywords:

• Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome
• Counseling
• Female
• HIV Infections
• HIV Seropositivity
• Humans
• Longitudinal Studies
• Male
• Marriage
• Uganda

Other ID:

• GWAIDS0003405

UI: 102240901

From Meeting Abstracts