Background: Acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) has been one of the most devastating diseases to have affected mankind. In the past 30 years, AIDS has emerged as a devastatingly fatal disease, assuming pandemic proportions sparing no region of the world, so its early diagnosis and prompt treatment can provide the healthy life for the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infected persons.
Objective: The purpose of this study was to estimate the prevalence of HIV infection and their gender variance among the clients attending ICTC, situated in microbiology department of S.S.M.C. Rewa, India, for a period of 5 years from 2010 to 2015.
Materials and Methods: A total of 44,460 clients attended ICTC, situated in Microbiology Department of Shyam Shah Medical College Rewa, India, from 2011 to 2015. Serum samples were collected after taking informed consent and pretest counseling. In India for all ICTCs, NACO (National AIDS Control Organization), a national guideline has been followed for HIV testing, reporting and release of results with posttest counseling.
Result: Of the total 44,460 clients tested for HIV infection, 572 (1.28%) were found to be HIV-1 seropositive. Seropositivity was higher in male clients (i.e., 331 (57.86%)) than female (i.e., 241 (42.13%)). In all these cases pediatric age group (014 years) prevalence was 4.19%.
Conclusion: HIV prevalence of 3.78% among the clients attending ICTC, situated in S.S.M.C. Rewa, M.P., Central India. Puts light on the burden on HIV in this part of the country and suggests the need for the scaling up of focused prevention efforts in high-risk groups by various modes of IEC activities.
Key words: HIV, sero-positivity, Integrated Counselling & Testing Centre (ICTC), heterosexual, transgender, pediatric age-group, client
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