HIV infection amongst leprosy patients in south India.

ABSTRACT

PIP: Screening for HIV-1 and HIV-2 was performed on 463 leprosy patients (374 males and 89 females) from south India because of concerns about the possible adverse effects of HIV infection on the clinical course of leprosy as well as on leprosy vaccine trials. The first ELISA test was positive in sera from 30 patients. HIV was detected in 14 of these by a second ELISA, but confirmation was found for only three cases (two by gelatin particle agglutination test, solid phase enzyme immunoassay, and Western blot tests and the third by Immunocomb test). These three cases were all young adult men whose only risk factor was that they frequented prostitutes. The presence of HIV-1 in two patients and HIV-2 in the third points to the necessity to screen for both types of infection. No correlation appeared between type of leprosy and infection. These findings have led to the initiation of a larger study.