HIV seroprevalence in hospital patients in rural Georgia.

To determine human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) seroprevalence among hospital patients in three rural community-based hospitals in southern Georgia, we anonymously tested patients 15 to 54 years old for antibodies to HIV-1 from residual blood specimens collected for routine diagnostic purposes. Data collected included age, sex, race, hospital service, presenting condition, physician's knowledge of HIV infection status, and discharge diagnosis. Of 1319 patients tested, seven (0.