HIV-1 seropositivity and mortality at University Hospital, Kinshasa, Zaire, 1987.

This study examines the impact of HIV-1 infection and AIDS on 500 of 563 consecutive deaths at University Hospital, Kinshasa, Zaire, in late 1987. HIV-1 seroprevalence was 31% for the entire population and 43% for the 247 adults. Forty-two (38%) of the 110 HIV-1-seropositive adult deaths occurred in those between the ages of 25 and 34 years.

Risk of transfusion-associated HIV transmission in Kinshasa, Zaire.

Between 5 March and 12 April 1990, we assessed transfusion practices and the risk of transfusion-associated HIV transmission in all the hospitals and medical centres in Kinshasa, Zaire. Of the 733 hospitals and medical centres surveyed, 62 (8.5%) transfuse blood.

Rapid latex agglutination assay using recombinant envelope polypeptide for the detection of antibody to the HIV.

Unscreened blood transfusions continue to be one of the major modes of transmission of the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) in developing countries, such as in Central Africa, where 5% to 18% of blood donors are HIV seropositive. We evaluated a rapid latex agglutination assay using a novel recombinant envelope polypeptide of HIV for the detection of HIV antibodies among 2820 blood donors and clinical patients from diverse geographic regions, including on-site testing in Central Africa of 1600 blood donors. Overall, 29.