Document 0943
 DOCN  M94A0943
 TI    Feasibility study for cohort development in regular Thai Army soldiers;
       laboratory studies. Royal Thai Army-US Army HIV Research Collaboration.
 DT    9412
 AU    Chuenchitra C; AFRIMS, Bangkok, Thailand.
 SO    Int Conf AIDS. 1994 Aug 7-12;10(2):245 (abstract no. PC0341). Unique
       Identifier : AIDSLINE ICA10/94371632
 AB    OBJECTIVE: To investigate the prevalence of HIV-1 infection in a Thai
       regular army unit in a feasibility study for cohort development.
       METHODS: Anonymous testing for HIV at the time of annual health
       examination was offered to 1027 soldiers. HBV and syphilis testing were
       performed on a voluntary, linked basis. Screening HIV was performed with
       EIA. Repeatedly (+)EIA was confirmed with Western blot. HBV testing
       included ELISA for HBsAg, HBsAb and HBcAb. Syphilis was screened with
       RPR and confirmed with FTA-Abs. RESULTS: The age-range of subjects was
       21 to 60 y/o, mean = 36 y/o. 18 (3.3%) of 543 volunteers screened for
       HIV were (+). Twenty-two (3.7%) of 589 volunteers screened for syphilis
       were (+). One (5.6%) of 18 HIV (+) subjects was positive for syphilis.
       685 (87%) of 790 subjects screened for HBV were (+). There were no
       significant differences in the percent of subjects seropositive for
       syphilis and HBV among those agreeing to HIV testing and those not
       agreeing. CONCLUSIONS: This group was explored based on a suspected high
       HIV seroprevalence. Army conscripts from this region have had a
       prevalence of 19%. The lower prevalence in this group may be due to
       low-risk behavior in volunteers for HIV testing. However, similar
       prevalences of other STD's among those volunteering for HIV testing and
       those not suggests the HIV seroprevalence may also be similar in the 2
       groups. The low prevalence may indicate a low incidence of HIV
       infection; a large sample size may be needed for a vaccine efficacy
       trial.
 DE    Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome/*EPIDEMIOLOGY  Adult  AIDS
       Serodiagnosis  Blotting, Western  Cohort Studies  Feasibility Studies
       Hepatitis B/DIAGNOSIS/EPIDEMIOLOGY  Human  *HIV-1  Immunoenzyme
       Techniques  Middle Age  *Military Personnel  Prevalence
       Seroepidemiologic Methods  Syphilis/EPIDEMIOLOGY  Syphilis Serodiagnosis
       Thailand/EPIDEMIOLOGY  MEETING ABSTRACT

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