[Acquired immunodeficiency syndrome: epidemiological, clinical and immunological findings in risk groups in Parma]

Between August 1985 and June 1987, 809 subjects at risk for AIDS have been studied. 231 (28.5%) were seropositive for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) antibodies. The seropositivity rate was 41% among drug addicts, 20.5% among homosexual/bisexual males, 19.7% among sexual partners of seropositive individuals. None of 62 subjects belonging to the health care personnel who interacted with seropositive patients and none of the 26 relatives of HIV-infected subject, have been found to be seropositive. Moreover the HIV seropositivity in the population of Parma was only 0.01%. Among the seropositive subjects, 155 (67.1%) were asymptomatic; 2 (0.8%) showed acute infection (a mononucleosis-like syndrome in both, associated with aseptic meningitis in one); 57 (24.6%) had PLG, 7 (3.4%) ARC, 9 (3.8%) full-blown AIDS (8 of these latter are dead).