HIV-1 and HIV-2 infections and AIDS in West Africa.

Abstract

The authors review advances in HIV-2 research since their last review of the subject, and summarize the current epidemiology of HIV-1 and HIV-2 infections and AIDS in West Africa. West Africa is considered to be comprised of those countries below the Sahara which belong to subregion 1 of the Africa Region as defined by the World Health Organization. Widely varying patterns of disease distribution exist across these countries. The epidemic spread of HIV-1 and HIV-2 in the region is recent, but these infections now occur throughout West Africa. The distribution of the two viral infections is both heterogenous and unstable. It is not clear whether social or biological reasons, or both, account for the apparently less successful epidemic spread of HIV-2. Important epidemiologic questions concerning HIV-2 which await resolution are its incubation period for disease and its efficiency of transmission compared with HIV-1. The authors note that for public health purposes, the two infections should be approached in the same fashion.