Bi-annual surge of Crimean-Congo haemorrhagic fever (CCHF): a five-year experience.

Objective: To determine the peak time of outbreak of Crimean-Congo haemorrhagic fever (CCHF) and to highlight the disease-specific areas in the Balochistan province of Pakistan.

Design: A hospital-based case-series study.

Place And Duration: A five-year study was conducted by the Department of Pathology in collaboration with the Department of Medicine, Sandeman Provincial Teaching Hospital, Quetta, Balochistan, Pakistan, from 1 March 1997 to 28 February 2002.

High frequency of false positive results in HIV screening in blood banks.

Background: This study was carried out to determine the frequency of false--positive results during serological screening for the presence of antibodies against HIV-1/2 in blood banks.

Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted from January--December 1999 as screening of voluntary non-remunerated blood donor pool for HIV in the public sector blood banks, in all the six divisions of Balochistan. 5000 subjects were screened for the presence of antibodies against HIV-1/2.

Awareness of HIV and AIDS among fishermen in coastal areas of Balochistan.

Objective: The aim of this study is to determine the knowledge, attitude, behaviour and practices regarding HIV/AIDS among the fishermen community in the coastal areas of Balochistan.

Design: A cross-sectional survey.

Place And Duration Of Study: This study was conducted between September-October 2000 at Gidani, a coastal area of Balochistan.