[Political refugees: an important risk group for AIDS and hepatitis B?]

This prospective study shows that the prevalence of HIV and HBV in political refugees who arrived in Belgium between November 1988 and January 1989 was as follows: --Africans (mostly coming from Central Africa) 3.7% positive for HIV antibodies; 12.4% positive for HBsAg. --Asians (mostly coming from Middle and Southeast Asia) 0.2% positive for HIV antibodies; 8.4% positive for HBsAg. --Europeans (mostly coming from Southeast Europe) 0% positive for HIV antibodies; 14.8% positive for HBsAg. These figures indicate that all political refugees arriving in Belgium belong to a high-risk group for HBV infections and that, in addition, Africans also are in the high-risk group for HIV infection. It seems appropriate to test all persons wishing to take up residence in Belgium for the presence of HIV, HBV and HTLV-I, not so much because these viral infections are less frequent in that country but rather to offer the carriers of these infections adequate counselling.