[Sero-epidemiological study in Mauritania (1985-1986): incidence of treponematosis, hepatitis B virus, HIV virus and viral hemorrhagic fevers]. / Etude séro-épidémiologique en Mauritanie (1985-1986): fréquence des tréponématoses, du virus de l'hépatite B, du virus VIH et des fièvres hémorragiques virales.

ABSTRACT

PIP: A serological survey in Mauritania in 1985-86 provided data on certain viral and bacterial markers whose frequency has been well established in countries neighboring this gateway between North Africa and subSaharan Africa. Blood samples from 1230 male blood donors and 983 pregnant women at the hospital in Nouakchott were analyzed for treponema infection, hepatitis B, HIV, and for antibodies to certain viruses causing hemorrhagic fever. Positive results for treponema specific antibodies using the Kline reaction were obtained in 76 of 2213 serums examined. High positive rates in young age groups reflect endemic nonvenereal treponematosis. 16 of 218 persons aged 10-19 tested positive compared to 10 of 593 aged 30-39 and 2 of 133 aged over 40. Observed differences between ethnic groups were highly significant. Infection rates were higher among males except among the Poulars. A very high prevalence of hepatitis B markers was found with more than 20% of hepatitis B surface antigen carriers among the 766 samples studied. 88.68% of the 813 subjects studied had been infected with the hepatitis B virus. The results suggest that nomadism, or the hygienic conditions of nomadism, favor contamination by the hepatitis B virus. 3 of the 510 samples examined were positive for HIV. Only 1 of the positive samples was from a Mauritanian, a 28-year-old male Poular. The other 2 positive results were obtained from foreigners temporarily residing at Nouakchott. The prevalence of antibodies against the viruses responsible for hemorrhagic fever was very low: 1/965 for the Crimee-Congo, 2/965 for the Rift Valley fever virus, and 3/965 for the Hantaan virus.