Seroepidemiology of HIV in Moyamba District, Sierra Leone, 2013-2016

Abstract

HIV infection is one of the health problems plaguing resource-poor countries. There are limited data on the prevalence in remote towns and districts. In this study we aimed at investigating the seroprevalence of HIV in Moyamba District using data from voluntary counseling and testing(VCT), prevention of mother-to-child transmission of HIV(PMCT) and from blood donors from 2013 to 2016.The seroprevalence of HIV from VCT was 2.87%(357/12434) for the four years, 2013 to 2016. Seroprevalence from PMCT was 0.91%(153/16,745) while the prevalence from healthy blood donors was 1.53%(27/1756). Overall, 537 persons tested positive for HIV out of 30,935 persons tested in Moyamba from 2013 to 2016 with a prevalence of 1.74(95%CI:1.6-1.89%).Statistically, our result is significantly different from the results of the DHS where HIV seroprevalence was reported at 1.0% in Moyamba(P<0.001).Our result provide an update on the HIV situation in Moyamba and shows an epidemic that is consistent with the national seroprevalence of 1.5%.