HIV epidemiology in Morocco: a nine-year survey (1991-1999).

The first case of HIV/AIDS in Morocco was notified in 1986. The Moroccan Ministry of Health has set up a system of management of HIV/AIDS cases and surveillance of the epidemic. Between 1991 and 1999, we studied 12,981 sera from patients in different Moroccan regions, who attended with high risk and/or symptoms of HIV/AIDS. The overall prevalence of positive HIV serology was 5.04% (4.67-5.44%). This rate was higher compared to blood donors which is 0.02%. From 1993 to 1998, the prevalence was around 4-5% (2.73-6.26%) then increased to 8.06% (6.89-9.36%) in 1999. Retrospective analysis of available epidemiological data have shown that the highest rate was observed in the South of Morocco with 12.23% (11.10-13.44%). Of the HIV positive cases, 72.22% of seropositives were infected heterosexually, 11.11% by intravenous drugs use, 7.41% by homosexuality, 4.63% by bisexuality and 4.63% and 0.62% by vertical transmission. The median age of infected persons was 33.3 years. Among documented HIV-positive individuals, 53.74% were aged 30-39 years, 21.43% were 20-29 years and 17.69% were 40 years or more. In this study, among HIV-positive patients 42.17% have loss of weight with fever and diarrhoea represent and 35.54% have loss of weight with fever, diarrhoea and opportunistic infections. The present work shows that the HIV infection increased significantly in 1999. Effective measures to control this trend should be implemented soon before the situation worsens.