Search PubMed⌕ Search

SEARCH · Search PubMed

Results for “Anonymous Testing”

Search indexed PubMed citations on genomics, clinical trials, systematic reviews and public health. Explore titles, authors and supplied subject terms, then open the PubMed record.

Quote a phrase for an exact phrase match. Source license links do not imply unrestricted reuse.

At least 1,531 records · Page 85Linked to original sources
PubMed2003

[Tuberculosis: diagnosis of contact persons and chemoprophylaxis in children].

Every doctor must participate in each step of tuberculosis control including BCG vaccination and focused screening, diagnosis of contact subjects. The last is mandatory in children, due to rapid ongoing illness from primary infection (PI). The two strategies of management are the search for secondary cases around a recently diagnosed contagious tuberculosis and the search for a contaminator in front of a recent PI or illness in a child. To suppress the anonymity of notification helps. The screening relies on a "stone in the water" strategy, from close to more occasional contacts. The search for contaminators (family, collectivity) relies on chest radiography (CR) and if positive, is extended to the contaminated surroundings. The search for secondary cases relies on tuberculin intra-dermal test (IDR); if positive, a CR is asked for and always performed in aged or immunodepressed persons, and children under 5 years of age. For them, a thoracic scan is easily done because of small mediastinal adenopathies undiagnosed by plain CR. Despite imperfect sensitivity and specificity, IDR is pivotal for diagnosis in children. Any PI in children has to be treated. In France, bitherapy isoniazide-rifampicine is given before 3 years of age and often up to 10 years. A duration of 6 months is common. Patent forms receive a tri or quadri-therapy for the first 2 months followed by a 4 months bitherapy. A cornerstone of success is an adequate organisation and coordination of motivated health care workers.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2001

Individual versus collective responses to membership in a low-status group: the effects of stability and individual ability.

To test predictions of social identity theory (SIT; M. A. Hogg & D. Abrams, 1988; H. Tajfel & J. C. Turner, 1979) and the 5-stage model (FSM; D. M. Taylor & D. J. McKirnan, 1984) concerning reactions to membership in a low-status group, the authors led 112 pupils to believe that another (anonymous) class outperformed their class. In an overall permeable and legitimate intergroup context, the authors manipulated the stability of the low group status and the individual ability of the group members. Contrary to SIT and FSM, the pupils generally favored collective normative action. Individual mobility was preferred only by group members, especially boys, with high individual ability who thought that the low status of their group was stable. The results support FSM assumptions (a) that individual ability is a powerful determinant of intergroup behavior but (b) that one should consider its impact in combination with perceived stability.

Child↗
PubMed2002

MEDICOL: online learning in medicine and dentistry.

OBJECTIVE: MEDICOL (Medicine and Dentistry Integrated Curriculum Online) provides a variety of Web-based resources that act as important adjuncts to all the teaching components of the medical and dental undergraduate curriculum. It uses WebCT, a course-management system, to provide the following educational functions: (1) track students' progress and present course information such as time-tables, learning objectives, handout materials, images, references, course assignments, and evaluations; (2) promote student-to-student and student-to-instructor interactions (through e-mail and bulletin boards); and (3) deliver self-directed learning components, including weekly self-assessment quizzes that provide immediate feedback and multimedia learning modules (clinical skills, radiology, evidence-based medicine, etc.). DESCRIPTION: The University of British Columbia Faculties of Medicine and Dentistry feature a problem-based learning (PBL) curriculum in which students access many of the same tools they will utilize in their professional practice. In the PBL curriculum, students must access the relevant clinical data and educational resources. A MEDICOL site has also been developed for medical students to use during their rural family practice, a four- to six-week experience in the summer after their second year. This site has been designed to be a supplemental learning environment for not only these students, but also for their physician preceptors. It is intended to foster communication among participants, bring new resources to the rural setting, and allow preceptors to develop their Internet skills with the help of students who are already familiar with the electronic environment. The MEDICOL sites enable the exchange of information about the learning issues between, as well as within, tutorial groups. MEDICOL also provides students with faculty-reviewed resources that are listed online; multimedia presentations; and access to histology, radiology, and pathology images through an online image database. Each week, students have access to a new interactive and automatically graded self-assessment quiz for individual study. These quizzes test learning objectives from tutorial, lecture, and lab material for each week of the curriculum and are modeled after summative examinations held twice each year. Question authors provide immediately accessible quality feedback to students. A comprehensive quiz databank of approximately 1,500 questions has been attained. WebCT enables MEDICOL to deliver anonymous, online program-evaluation questionnaires during clinical clerkships (resulting in a 99% response rate after a few e-mail reminders), with easy and timely data collection and reporting methods. Summative assessments have also been delivered through MEDICOL. DISCUSSION: Use statistics indicate that over 90% of students regularly use the MEDICOL sites and have found them helpful. University of British Columbia medical school enrollment will increase because of collaborations with campuses and medical centers across the province. MEDICOL will likely play an increased role in distance learning by continuing to deliver the resources already described, as well as facilitating synchronous communications (e.g., PBL chat rooms) and teaching (e.g., video-streamed lectures) to students located across the province.

Education, Dental↗
PubMed1975

Personality/mental health correlates of drug use by high school students.

This study tested the hypothesis (derived from similar studies with college students) that personality/mental health differences do exist between high school users and nonuses of drugs (with the exception of marijuana). Subjects were students in the psychology classes of a large high school in a southwestern urban area who were asked to complete anonymously, two instruments: one, the usual drug use survey, and the other, a 48-item-self-report personality inventory, the theoretical orientation of which is Rogerian. N totaled 190 (110 males and 80 females). Statistical techniques utilized in analyses of the data included Pearson product-moment correlations, and single classification analysis of variance. The central hypothesis was impressively supported only for males, i.e., there were many personality/mental health differences between males nonusers and male polyusers. However, for marijuana, no differences were found between users and nonusers. The findings are said to agree with the result of analogous studies using college students. Implications of the findings for mental health professionals are briefly discussed.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1993

Project MATCH (Matching Alcoholism Treatment to Client Heterogeneity): rationale and methods for a multisite clinical trial matching patients to alcoholism treatment.

No single treatment approach is effective for all persons with alcohol problems. A more promising strategy involves assigning patients to alternative treatments based on specific needs and characteristics of patients. Project MATCH is a multisite clinical trial designed to test a series of a priori hypotheses on how patient-treatment interactions relate to outcome. Two independent but parallel matching studies are being conducted, one with clients recruited from outpatient settings, the other with patients receiving aftercare treatment following inpatient care. Patients are randomly assigned to Twelve-Step Facilitation, Cognitive-Behavioral Coping Skills, or Motivational Enhancement Therapy. Subjects are followed at 3-month intervals for 1 year following completion of the 12-week treatment period and evaluated for changes in drinking patterns, functional status/quality of life, and treatment services utilization. Interaction effects with selected patient characteristics will be studied. Project MATCH will provide a rigorous test of the utility of patient-treatment matching in general and, depending on the specific a priori hypotheses validated, will have important implications for clinical practice.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1998

Gambling and other risk behaviors among 8th- to 12th-grade students.

OBJECTIVE: To examine the associations between a self-reported history of gambling or problems related to gambling and health risk behaviors in adolescence. DESIGN: An anonymous risk behavior survey was administered to 21 297 8th- through 12th-grade students in 79 public and private schools in Vermont. Gambling or problems related to gambling were the outcome variables of interest. Demographic variables and 13 target risk behaviors related to substance use, sexual activity, and violence were tested for association with gambling and problems related to gambling. RESULTS: Of the students, 53% reported gambling in the past 12 months, and 7% reported problems attributable to gambling. Male gender, any use of alcohol, infrequent use of cigarette smoking, any marijuana use, any inhalant use, infrequent steroid use, frequent illegal drug use, seatbelt nonuse, driving after drinking alcohol, being threatened, carrying a weapon, being involved in a fight, and years of sexual activity were all significantly associated with reported gambling in the past 12 months. Among the students who gambled, younger age, male gender, daily marijuana use, frequent use of cocaine, frequent use of inhalants, any steroid use, never wearing seatbelts, carrying a weapon for up to 3 days a month, fighting, and years of sexual activity were all significantly associated with reported problems with family and friends as a consequence of gambling. There was an increase in the absolute number of risk behaviors reported between those who had not gambled, those who had gambled, and those for whom gambling had created problems. CONCLUSIONS: Risk behaviors are associated with gambling in adolescence. The typology of risk behaviors was different for adolescents who reported gambling compared with those for whom gambling had created problems. Both gambling and problems related to gambling were significantly associated with the absolute number of risk behaviors reported by adolescents in a graded manner. Involvement in gambling should be assessed as part of the health encounter. Assessment may provide a nonthreatening entry into the evaluation of other risk behaviors. Furthermore, it may identify youth who are at risk of developing additional risk behaviors or pathological gambling. Interventions then could be targeted toward prevention of these undesirable outcomes.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2003

Intrauterine techniques: contentious or consensus opinion?

CONTEXT: Insertion of intrauterine devices (IUDs) is a routine procedure in Contraception & Sexual Health (C&SH) Service clinics. Techniques for IUD insertion vary between practitioners. OBJECTIVE: To describe the preferred approach to various aspects of IUD provision of experienced doctors working in three large, teaching C&SH Services, including policies on screening for chlamydia, antibiotic prophylaxis, use of tenaculae, use of analgesia/anaesthesia and use of assistants at the time of IUD insertion. DESIGN: An anonymous questionnaire to all doctors working in three neighbouring services. SETTING: Three community C&SH Services in Hampshire seeing in total approximately 92,000 patients each year. PARTICIPANTS: Doctors working regularly in target C&SH Services. RESULTS: A total of 94% of doctors cleanse the cervix prior to IUD insertion, 96% test for chlamydia before fitting an emergency coil and 18.5% always prescribe prophylactic antibiotics. For routine IUD insertions, 50% of doctors always screen for chlamydia prior to fitting the device. A total of 86% of doctors always stabilise the cervix with an Allis or similar instrument, with 14% reporting using an Allis 'sometimes' or 'rarely/never'. Instillagel was the most commonly used method of anaesthesia. A total of 75% of doctors have an assistant present for every insertion, eight doctors 'sometimes', and one 'rarely/never'. DISCUSSION: Arguments for and against each area of contention are discussed, and evidence reviewed. CONCLUSION: Practice varies between practitioners, and doctors training in intrauterine techniques may be given conflicting advice. All clinicians should be able to justify their practice on clinical grounds and audit outcomes.

Analgesics↗
PubMed1992

Identifying HIV-2-seropositive individuals by reevaluating HIV-1 indeterminate sera.

HIV-2 infections are rare in North America, with less than 30 cases identified since 1988. We conducted a surveillance for HIV-2 seroprevalence by re-evaluating 457 HIV-1 indeterminate serology specimens submitted to the Maryland Department of Health Laboratories from January 1, 1988 to July 15, 1991. All indeterminates were screened using a combination HIV-1/HIV-2 synthetic peptide EIA. The presence of HIV-2-specific antibodies in initially reactive sera was confirmed utilizing a selective HIV-2 synthetic peptide EIA and Western blotting. Eight sera from four adult males attending public health clinics in suburban Washington, D.C. were found to be specifically reactive for HIV-2 antibodies. One is a native West African; the others remain anonymous. All eight sera demonstrated a gag (core) and pol (polymerase) only pattern of reactivity on HIV-1 Western blots. Targeting selected groups of HIV-1 indeterminate sera from patients attending public health clinics may represent a more appropriate strategy to monitor the spread of HIV-2 in North America than testing similar samples from the blood donor population.

Adult↗
PubMed1994

Sentinel hospital surveillance of HIV infection in Quebec. Quebec Sentinel Hospital HIV-Seroprevalence Study Group.

OBJECTIVE: To measure the HIV seroprevalence rate in a surrogate sample of the general population in the province of Quebec, using a network of sentinel hospitals. DESIGN: Anonymous unlinked sentinel surveillance study. SETTING: Outpatient surgery units in 19 acute care hospitals throughout Quebec. PARTICIPANTS: All patients attending the outpatient surgery units from November 1990 to October 1992. A total of 61,547 plasma samples were obtained from leftover blood samples collected for cell counts. Fifty samples were excluded because of an insufficient amount of plasma and one because of an indeterminate result. INTERVENTION: HIV antibody testing with enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay; positive results confirmed with radioimmunoprecipitation assay. OUTCOME MEASURES: HIV antibody status, sex, year of birth and area of residence. RESULTS: The crude seroprevalence rate among the subjects aged 15 years or more was 0.4 per 1000 population (95% confidence interval [CI] 0.2 to 0.7) among the women and 3.6 per 1000 population (95% CI 2.8 to 4.4) among the men (p < 0.001). The rate after adjustment for age, sex and geographic distribution of the study population was 2.3 per 1000 population (95% CI 1.9 to 2.7). The seroprevalence rate among the male patients in the City of Montreal was much higher than the rates elsewhere in the province. It increased progressively during each of the four 6-month intervals of the study: 8.1, 8.7, 13.9 and 18.3 per 1000 respectively (chi 2 linear trend = 4.76; p = 0.029). No similar trends were observed outside Montreal for the male patients. There were too few seropositive female patients to draw any solid conclusion. CONCLUSIONS: Despite the possible drawbacks of a nonrandomized sampling scheme, this study suggests that in the male population the HIV seroprevalence rate is increasing in Montreal and is stable in all other areas of the province. The continued surveillance of HIV infection through anonymous unlinked studies is useful to monitor trends.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1994

Myotonic dystrophy: molecular analysis of Israeli patients.

Myotonic dystrophy (DM) is an autosomal dominant, multisystem disorder and the most common adult form of muscular dystrophy. The age of onset and degree of severity of DM is highly variable. The biochemical defect in DM is unknown. DM was the first autosomal disorder to be localised by genetic linkage to protein markers (Lu, Se, C3), and assigned to chromosome 19. Linkage studies in DM families using RFLPs as polymorphic markers refined the mapping position to 19q13.1-13.2 distal to the BCL3, apoCII, CKM and ERCCI genes. Based on the linkage data, healthy individuals from DM families request a pre-symptomatic test. The information is of use in planning their family, if at high risk they can choose to have prenatal diagnosis. We have studied ten unrelated DM families by linkage analysis. The DNA probes to detect the various RFLPS were either from the vicinity of BCL3, ApoCII, CKMM and ECCRI genes or anonymous DNA probes. Linkage analysis in the DM families enabled us to determine the carrier status of healthy individuals and to perform prenatal diagnosis at a confidence of > 99%. In two families the DM diagnosis was in doubt and we did not include them in the combined analysis. Linkage disequilibrium was noted with two RFLPs pDIO/Pst1 and p37.1/BamH1. Both DNA probes were isolated by Shaw and his group in Cardiff. In six out of eight families, the DM chromosome was associated with allele 3 of pDIO/Pst1 and allele 1 of p37.1/BamH1.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Alleles↗
PubMed2005

Patterns of use and harm reduction practices of ecstasy users in Australia.

Harm reduction refers to the use of strategies to prevent or reduce harmful consequences associated with illicit drug use. There is a paucity of research concerning the harm reduction practices employed by ecstasy users. This study aimed to explore the prevalence, nature and factors associated with harm reduction practices employed by ecstasy users in Australia, with a specific focus on the practice of preloading and postloading--the use of pharmaceuticals and natural products prior and subsequent to ecstasy use. One hundred and sixteen Australian residents aged 18 years and over who had used ecstasy at least once in their lifetime were recruited via convenience sampling, 'snowballing' and via web-based advertisements and completed an anonymous questionnaire. Participants reported using a wide range of strategies for minimising ecstasy-associated harm. The most common strategies used for reducing negative side effects, 'comedown' or neurotoxicity were drinking water, limiting or reducing ecstasy use, taking breaks and taking vitamins or other natural substances. Forty percent of the sample had tested their ecstasy pills for the presence of MDMA. Forty-one percent and 47% of participants had engaged in pre- and postloading, respectively, with the most common pre- and postloading substances being multivitamins, 5-HTP, magnesium and fruit or fruit juice. Younger mean age and 'high' total occasions of ecstasy use was significantly associated with preloading, and 'high' total use and frequency of use was associated with postloading. The results indicate that ecstasy users are aware of the potential for harm associated with ecstasy use and attempt to minimise harm by actively employing strategies. By exploring the pattern of harm reduction practices among ecstasy users, this study has highlighted the need for further research into the efficacy and potential clinical drug interactions associated with such practices, as well as the need for investigation of how such practices may affect patterns of ecstasy use.

Adult↗
PubMed2006

Screening and brief intervention online for college students: the ihealth study.

AIMS: To test the feasibility of online alcohol screening and brief intervention (BI) by comparing (i) two approaches to inviting all students to be screened, and (ii) a minimal versus a more extensive BI. METHODS: Freshmen students at one university were randomized to receive one of two types of email invitations to an online anonymous: (i) general health assessment, or (ii) alcohol-specific assessment. All were linked to the same alcohol screening survey. Those with unhealthy alcohol use (AUDIT >or=8) were randomly assigned to minimal or more extensive online alcohol BI. RESULTS: In both invitation groups (4008 students), 55% of students completed the online screening. Overall, 37% of men and 26% of women had unhealthy alcohol use. Compared to minimal BI, more extensive BI was associated with intention to seek help among men and with a greater increase in readiness to change among women. One month after BI, 75% of students completed another assessment, 33% of women and 15% of men with unhealthy alcohol use at baseline no longer had unhealthy alcohol use. There were no significant differences on drinking measures by BI randomization group. CONCLUSIONS: Over half of an entire freshman class of college students were reached by email and completed alcohol screening and brief intervention. Even an alcohol-specific invitation did not deter students. Although brief interventions that differed had some gender specific effects on readiness to change and intention, in general, unhealthy alcohol use decreased after brief intervention. Web screening and brief intervention show promise for addressing unhealthy alcohol use by college students.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1995

Comparative analysis by independent contrasts (CAIC): an Apple Macintosh application for analysing comparative data.

CAIC is an application for the Apple Macintosh which allows the valid analysis of comparative (multi-species) data sets that include continuous variables. Comparison among species is the most common technique for testing hypotheses of how organisms are adapted to their environments, but standard statistical tests like regression should not be used with species data. Such tests assume independence of data points, but related species often share traits by common descent rather than through independent adaptation. CAIC uses a phylogeny of the species in the data set to partition the variance among species into independent comparisons (technically, linear contrasts), each comparison being made at a different node in the phylogeny. There are two partitioning procedures--one used when all variables are continuous, the other when one variable is discrete. The resulting comparisons can be analysed validly in standard statistical packages to test hypotheses about correlated evolution among traits, to estimate parameters such as allometric exponents, and to compare rates of evolution. Previous versions of the package have already been used widely; this version is simpler to use and works on a wider range of machines. The package and manual are freely available by anonymous ftp or from the authors.

Data Interpretation, Statistical↗
PubMed2004

What affects your MS? Responses to an anonymous, Internet-based epidemiological survey.

Evolving information technology has raised the possibility of new methods of data collection in multiple sclerosis (MS) research. An anonymous, self-report, Internet-based survey was developed, which asked people with MS their opinion on how various extrinsic factors affected their condition. From September 2001 to July 2002, a total of 2529 people completed the questionnaire. The demographic and clinical profiles of the anonymous respondents indicated that most were likely to have MS. Common factors reported as beneficial were cannabis, cold baths, meditation and dietary factors. Common adverse factors reported were high stress, exposure to high temperatures and viral infections. There was an increasing report of high temperatures as being adverse with increasing respondent age (test for trend, P < 0.001). The adverse report of high temperatures correlated significantly with the report of strong sunlight apparently making MS worse (r = 0.35, P < 0.0001). In Australia, high temperatures were more likely to be reported as adverse in warmer, lower latitude regions. The association between strong sunlight as adverse and age or region did not persist after adjustment for high temperatures. Thus, this apparent adverse factor appeared to relate to solar heat, not solar light. People with MS may risk vitamin D deficiency because of sun avoidance due to heat-related fatigue or intolerance. This is of clinical significance not only for bone health but because vitamin D may have beneficial immunomodulatory properties. The present study provides new information from people with MS on factors that may influence symptoms or clinical course. This information will now be used in the design of formal epidemiological cohort studies.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1999

[Hemochromatosis. Determination of the C282Y mutation frequency in the population of the Czech Republic and sensitivity of hemochromatosis detection using Guthrie cards].

BACKGROUND: Hereditary haemochromatosis (HH) is a multi-organ disease characterized by increased deposition of iron in some tissues. When discovered early the disease is curable. The Caucasian population is burdened with a high incidence of carriers and homozygotes. The recent discovery of the gene for haemochromatosis (HFE) and of the major mutation C282Y makes direct diagnosis possible. METHODS AND RESULTS: Exploiting a newly-designed polymerase chain reaction system, we determined the frequency of the C282Y mutation of the HFE gene in the Czech population by analysis of 278 chromosomes from anonymous clients of an in vitro fertilization centre (128 male and 150 female karyotypes respectively). There were 14 heterozygotes of the C282Y mutation (6 males and 8 females) and no asymptomatic homozygotes. All 12 patients with classically diagnosed haemochromatosis were homozygous for the C282Y mutation. Twelve Guthrie cards ten years old were tested as a source of the PCR signal for C282Y with a positive result in all cases (100% efficiency). CONCLUSIONS: Our data suggest that the approximate frequency of heterozygotes (carriers) of hereditary haemochromatosis in the Czech population is 1:10 which is comparable with data from the Central European region. The frequency of the major mutation among patients with HH was 100% (12/12), however, the difference with data from neighbouring countries (Austria, Germany) cannot be considered significant due to the small number of patients tested. We also showed the possibility of a retro-diagnosis of the presence/absence of C282Y mutation from Guthrie cards.

Czech Republic↗
PubMed2006

Injuries from ultimate frisbee.

OBJECTIVE: This paper will explore ultimate frisbee injuries. METHOD: This study uses an anonymous, retrospective, self-reported survey of 135 adult athletes at a Midwestern ultimate frisbee tournament. Subjects were queried regarding injuries to specific body parts, those causing missed activity, recurring injuries, medical care sought, basic demographic data, duration of participation, handedness, and eye color. Categorical data were analyzed by chi-square tests. Qualitative responses were categorized by themes. RESULTS: Respondents had a mean age of 28 years and 59% were male. Mean playing time was 8.2 hours per week and 7.5 total years. Ultimate frisbee injuries included muscle strains (76% of subjects), ankle (65%), knee (53%), shoulder (37%), head (30%), and rib (21%) injuries. Blisters/calluses and black toenails were frequently mentioned. Recurrent injuries were reported in 49%. Shoulder injuries were more common in men than women (47% versus 24%, P<0.02). Of respondents, 88% have missed ultimate frisbee activity due to injury, and 71% have sought medical care for ultimate frisbee injuries. CONCLUSIONS: The majority of surveyed ultimate frisbee players experience injuries and seek medical care. Health care professionals should be aware of the injuries associated with ultimate frisbee and further studies should focus on prevention and education strategies.

Adolescent↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Curbing drug abuse in Iowa: one response to a growing problem.

The State of Iowa in the United States of America faced a growing drug-related problem, with cocaine abuse increasing in the cities and cannabis availability spreading to rural areas. The State also experienced a concomitant rise in crime, particularly by juveniles, which was demonstrably linked to the prevalence of illicit drugs. To counter these problems, Governor Robert Ray convened a State-wide Crime Prevention Conference, provided help to communities in organizing drug abuse prevention programmes, proposed legislation to seize illegally gained assets and allocated additional funds to law-enforcement agencies for narcotics operations. The Governor's programme included, inter alia: (a) The establishment of a "crime stoppers" hot-line, providing a toll-free telephone number for citizens to report crime anonymously; (b) The outlawing of "look-alike" drugs, i.e. pills designed to look like controlled substances (usually amphetamines) but actually containing licit substances such as caffeine; (c) The outlawing of "turkey" substances, such as baking flour and detergent, which were not themselves illegal but which dealers sold as illegal substances to test whether a purchaser might be an undercover police officer; (d) The proposal for a criminal justice improvement fund to provide money to enhance State-wide law enforcement efforts.

Adolescent↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Seroprevalence of HIV among pregnant women in the ten regions of the Ivory Coast].

UNLABELLED: Ivory Coast, a sub-Saharan African country, has 14 million inhabitants. Two AIDS cases were reported to the WHO in 1985. By December 31st 1996, there were a total of 37,878 AIDS cases in Ivory Coast, 6,727 of which were new cases reported in 1996. Heterosexual transmission is the predominant means of HIV infection in Africa and women of childbearing age account for a substantial proportion of the individuals infected. The aim of this study was to follow the progression of infection in the various regions of the country by comparing data from two time periods: Period I: 1986 to 1989; Period II: 1994 to 1996. MATERIALS AND METHODS LOCATION: Samples were taken in regional maternal and child protection centers. Recruitment method: Women were recruited anonymously, during their antenatal care. BIOLOGICAL ANALYSIS: Period I (1986 to 1989), 2,604 pregnant women. Anti-HIV antibodies were detected with: Abbott HIV-1 EIA Recombinant (Chicago) used initially, for 1,200 sera; Abbott HIV-1/HIV-2 Recombinant (Chicago) used later for the remaining sera. There was no commercially available test for HIV-2 during this first period, so all samples with Rm0.8 (R = optical density/cut-off) were also tested by western blotting. Period II (1994 to 1996), 2,935 pregnant women. All sera were tested with Enzygnost HIV-1-2 and Enzygnost HIV-1-2 Plus, produced by Behring (Germany). All sera testing positive in EIA were also tested by western blotting. RESULTS: The prevalence of HIV infection was 4.23% for Period I and 12.53% for Period II. No region of Ivory Coast was completely free of these 2 viruses after the mid-1980s. Women aged 20 to 29 years of age were the most likely to be infected, for both periods. The highest prevalence of HIV-2 was that for women aged between 20 and 29 years and HIV-2 infection occurred mostly in the South, Southwest and West regions. DISCUSSION: The prevalence of HIV infection is now at least 10% in each region of the country. Abidjan is no longer the city with the highest levels of infection, as shown by the results for Period II. The East and West have the highest levels of HIV infection, and the prevalence of HIV in these areas is significantly higher than that for Abidjan (p = 0.007 for the East and p = 0.009 for the West).

Adult↗