Obioma A and Chikanka AT
The Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) is transmittable through body fluids such as blood, breast milk and semen. Determination of its prevalence and associated risk factors are important especially in rural areas where the dwellers pay little or no concern to their health. This study was carried out in seven locations in Ahoada East Local Government Area of Rivers State, thus 1000 subjects were purposively recruited and screened for HIV1 and HIV1 and HIV2 respectively. The total prevalence was 10.7% out of which location 7 (Ahoada General Hospital) made up 3% of the total prevalence. 2.9% had dual infection by HIV and 2 while 7.8% had only HIV1. Females made up 52.6% of HIV1 infections and 58.6% of HIV1 and HIV2 infections. Furthermore, subjects within ages 45 to 54 years had the prevalence of HIV1 and HIV2 (51.7%) while subjects within ages 25-34 had the prevalence of HIV1 alone with them making up 44.9% of the total prevalence. Based on profession, farmers made up 62.1% of the total HIV1 and HIV2 prevalence while students and farmers each made up 42.3% of the total HIV1 prevalence. Singles made up 67.9% of the total HIV1 prevalence while married persons made up 55.2% of the total prevalence. Education may have played a huge role in the prevalence of both HIV1 and HIV1 and HIV2 as there was none with either HIV 1 or 2 among those with a Master of Science degree while those with a Bachelor of Science made up only 7.6% of the total prevalence. Those with the Senior Secondary School Certificate recorded the highest percentage of the total prevalence for those who were HIV 1 and 2 positives (44.8%) while those with HIV1 made up 38.5% of those who were HIV1 positive. All the HIV1 and HIV2 seropositive individuals admitted to being aware that condoms could help prevent the spread of the virus while 7.7% of those who were HIV1 positive said they were not aware that condoms could help in reducing the spread of the HIV infection. Awareness and continuous surveillance is key to reducing the spread of the HIV among the public and as such, should be carried out as often as possible especially in rural areas where little or no concern is paid to both individual and public health issues.
