Articles: disease.
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Networks of concurrent sexual partnerships may be the primary cause of epidemic spread of HIV-1 in parts of sub-Saharan Africa. This pattern of sexual behaviour increases the likelihood that individuals experiencing primary HIV-1 infection transmit the virus to other persons. ⋯ However, prevention of transmission in the endemic phase also requires a greater awareness of early clinical manifestations of HIV-1 infection in the general population. Such awareness, coupled with the availability of condoms and access to HIV-1 testing facilities, may reduce transmission in discordant couples.
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Self-treatment for sexually transmitted diseases (STD) is common, but little studied, in Thailand, and its influence on human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection is unknown. ⋯ These men are attempting to prevent HIV and STDs. Self-treatment with antibiotics may lower HIV risks associated with bacterial STD in a high-prevalence population.
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Comparative Study Clinical Trial Controlled Clinical Trial
Perinatal intervention trial in Africa: effect of a birth canal cleansing intervention to prevent HIV transmission.
Perinatal transmission of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) type 1 contributes significantly to infant mortality. Exposure in the birth canal may account for some transmission. We examined the efficacy of a birth canal washing procedure in reducing perinatal transmission in Malawi. ⋯ If birth canal exposure is an important risk factor, different or additional methods to reduce the risk of perinatal HIV transmission should be tested. Alternatively, perhaps birth canal exposure is not a major contributor to perinatal infection risk.
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Clinical Trial Controlled Clinical Trial
Child mortality following standard, medium or high titre measles immunization in West Africa.
The World Health Organization (WHO) recommended the use of high titre measles vaccine in 1989. Subsequent long term follow-up of several trials yielded results suggesting higher mortality among children inoculated with medium and high titre vaccines compared to standard titre vaccines, although none of the individual trials found significant differences in mortality. ⋯ The combined analysis showed a decreased survival related to high titre measles vaccine compared with standard titre vaccines, though solely among females. As a result of these studies from West Africa and a study from Haiti, WHO has recommended that high titre measles vaccine no longer be used.
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In general, information on the causes of adult deaths in developing countries is scarce. More specifically, relatively little is known about the effect of HIV-1 associated disease on adult mortality in general populations. In this study we have used a verbal autopsy technique to ascertain whether adult deaths were associated with HIV-1 in a rural population with a prevalence of HIV-1 infection of 8%, and used HIV-1 antibody status to validate the verbal autopsy findings. ⋯ The results of this study suggest that verbal autopsy studies may assist in providing data on HIV-associated mortality in general populations and may be useful as surveillance tools.