[Epidemiological expression of other sexually transmitted diseases among AIDS patients]

[Preventive measures against AIDS and other sexually transmitted diseases known by students in the health field]

This study was carried out in to identify the preventive measures against Aids and other Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STD) that undergraduate health students predominantly know and to identify if there is a significant difference among the measures mentioned, considering the sex of subjects studied. A questionnaire was answered by health undergraduate students randomly selected. The results show that most of the items mentioned as preventive for Aids and other STD are important measures for their prevention. However, when data are analysed considering the frequency, that is the number of students that mentioned correct measures, we can observe that it is less than it was expected, what is very worrying. Another point observed in the results is that, there was no statistical difference, according to the sex of subjects studied. Data analysis evidence that knowledge of most undergraduate students is not enough, reinforcing the need to implement continuous specific educational actions.

The Rio de Janeiro HIV vaccine site-II. Recruitment strategies and socio-demographic data of a HIV negative homosexual and bisexual male cohort in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

The initial effort of the Brazilian Ministry of Health to be an active partner in the world effort in the preparation of future accurate human immune deficiency virus (HIV) efficacy trials was the establishment of a multi-centered cohort of homosexual and bisexual men. An open cohort was established to determine the HIV incidence and the socio-behavioral aspects involved in Rio de Janeiro. A total of 318 potential participants, originated from multiple sources (health units, public information, snowball recruitment), were screened and recruitment became effective through the direct involvement of target communities (with the support of Non Governmental Organizations) and the population. Among this group, seropositivity for sexually transmitted diseases was high with 23, 32 and 46% for HIV, syphilis and hepatitis B, respectively. The socio-demographic data from the first 200 participants of this HIV negative cohort suggests that the cohort volunteers are an appropriate sample of the general male population of the State of Rio de Janeiro.