HIV-infection in Estonia

• Published in: Clinical and diagnostic virology Vol. 1; no. 1; pp. 11 - 16
• Main Authors: Priimägi, Ludmilla, Ustina, Valentina, Märtin, Jaan, Salminen, Mika, Leinikki, Pauli, Grinshpun, Lev
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Netherlands Elsevier B.V 01.03.1993
• Subjects: HIV-infection; Seroepidemiological screening program; Seroepidemiological screening program; HIV-infection
• ISSN: 0928-0197; 1873-4901
• DOI: 10.1016/0928-0197(93)90028-4

Only a few cases of clinical AIDS have been diagnosed in the Baltic countries that previously were part of the Soviet Union. This suggests that the spread of HIV-infection has been much slower than in several other countries belonging to the previous Eastern Europe. To get a more precise picture of the situation, we have analyzed the data from seroepidemiological screening programs that have been conducted in Estonia since June 1987. Large population groups were tested according to a decree by the former soviet All-Union center on AIDS. On several occasions the tests were mandatory and probably had a coverage close to 100%. After more than a million serum samples were tested, 29 HIV-infected persons, 3 women and 26 men have been identified. One of them was HIV-2 positive. Most of them live in Tallinn, the capital city of Estonia. All cases probably have a sexually transmitted infection. In one the infection has proceeded to clinical AIDS. Analysis of the gene sequences of several strains suggests that the strains are closely related and that the number of sources of infection is quite small. The study suggests that the spread of HIV in Estonia is still quite limited. A contributing factor may be the restricted possibilities for travel to the Western countries during the Soviet era.