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Thomas R. Eng, Thomas R. O'Brien, Kenneth W. Bernard, Charles A. Schable, Theresa van der Vlugt, Scott D. Holmberg, HIV-1 and HIV-2 Infections Among U.S. Peace Corps Volunteers Returning from West Africa, Journal of Travel Medicine, Volume 2, Issue 3, 1 September 1995, Pages 174–177, https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1708-8305.1995.tb00647.x
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Abstract
The risk of acquiring HIV-1 and HIV-2 infections among expatriates in, and travelers to, West Africa is not known. The objective of the study was to examine the risk of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 and type 2 (HIV-1 and HIV-2) infections among Peace Corps volunteers in West Africa.
A cross-sectional serosurvey was carried out in 18 West African countries. Subjects were 2491 returning Peace Corps volunteers. The main outcome measure was seropositivity for HIV-1 and HIV-2 antibodies.
From March 1988 through February 1993, of 2491 study participants, no HIV-2 infections were detected, but three HIV-1 infections were. All three HIV-1-infected persons reported having had unprotected sex with host-country national partners.
Results suggest that although persons having unprotected sex with partners from countries with a high prevalence of HIV-1 are at risk for acquiring the infection, casual transmission of HIV-1 or HIV-2 is extremely unlikely.