Prevalence of HIV-antibodies in maritime workers and in other selected population groups in Poland.

The objective of the present work was to determine prevalence of HIV-antibodies in the following population groups: 1. Seamen, fishermen and dockers from region of Gdańsk and Szczecin 2. Travellers abroad. 3. Special risk groups (intravenous drug users, prostitutes, homosexuals, haemophiliacs) mostly from Gdańsk region. 4. Hospital patients, prisoners, other people. Abbott recombinant HIV 1/HIV 2 EIA was used for the detection of antibodies to HIV type 1 and/or type 2. In the period from 1987 to 1992, 70,297 examinations were made. HIV-antibodies were detected in 165 people (0.23%). Out of 35,084 subjects in the first group (926 women and 34,158 men). 20 men were found seropositive (0.06%). The majority of them--16 men were seamen, 3 were fishermen and one was a harbour worker. In the second group made of 27,403 people including 3,640 females, HIV-antibodies were revealed in 9 men (0.04%) and one woman. In the third group, there were 965 people including 482 women; among them there were 104 men and 19 women infected (12.8%). Out of the 349 prostitutes examined 2 were infected (0.05%). Among 79 homosexuals, 4 were found infected. In the sample of 14 haemophiliacs none demonstrated HIV-antibodies. In 6,845 subjects of the fourth group (5938 males and 907 females), 12 males were seropositive (0.18%). In that number 5 were prisoners, other 5 were hospital patients and 2 were known to have homosexual relationship with infected men. The majority of subjects with HIV-antibodies were men--145 (88%) of the total number of subjects infected, aged 20-40.