Document 0743
 DOCN  M9490743
 TI    A survey of occupational blood contact and HIV infection among
       traditional birth attendants in Rwanda.
 DT    9411
 AU    Habimana P; Bulterys M; Usabuwera P; Chao A; Saah AJ; Centre
       Universitaire de Sante Publique (CUSP), School of; Medicine, National
       University of Rwanda, Butare.
 SO    AIDS. 1994 May;8(5):701-4. Unique Identifier : AIDSLINE MED/94338610
 AB    OBJECTIVE: To investigate the risk of occupationally acquired HIV
       infection among traditional birth attendants (TBA) in Rwanda, Africa.
       DESIGN AND METHODS: A serosurvey was conducted among 219 TBA practicing
       in a rural but densely populated area in southern Rwanda. Each TBA was
       interviewed about sociodemographic information, work-related habits and
       practices, and presence of nonoccupational risk factors for HIV
       infection. The frequency of skin exposure to HIV-infected blood was
       estimated for each TBA from HIV seroprevalence data collected previously
       from pregnant women stratified by the geographic zones in which the TBA
       practiced. RESULTS: Four TBA (1.8%) tested HIV-1-antibody-positive; all
       four had reported nonoccupational risk factors for HIV infection. We
       estimated that the 215 HIV-negative TBA had 2234 potentially infectious
       blood-skin contacts out of a total of approximately 35,000 deliveries
       assisted in the past 5 years. However, we found no evidence of HIV
       infection caused by occupational blood contact (none out of 2234; upper
       limit of the 95% confidence interval because of one potentially
       infectious blood-skin contact = 0.2%). CONCLUSION: Although these
       findings may not be universal to all TBA in Africa, the risk of
       occupationally acquired HIV infection among TBA appears small. The high
       frequency of blood-skin contact among TBA in Rwanda highlights the need
       to include infection control precautions in the training of TBA.
 DE    Adult  Attitude to Health  *Blood/MICROBIOLOGY  Female  Human  Hygiene
       HIV Antibodies/BLOOD  HIV Infections/BLOOD/*EPIDEMIOLOGY/PREVENTION &
       CONTROL/  TRANSMISSION  *HIV-1  Male  Middle Age  *Midwifery
       Occupational Diseases/*EPIDEMIOLOGY  Pregnancy  Pregnancy Complications,
       Infectious/BLOOD  Risk Factors  Rural Population  Rwanda/EPIDEMIOLOGY
       Seroepidemiologic Methods  Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.  JOURNAL ARTICLE

       SOURCE: National Library of Medicine.  NOTICE: This material may be
       protected by Copyright Law (Title 17, U.S.Code).