Definition
HIV-2 is mainly prevalent in West Africa, where an estimated 1–2 million people are infected. It is a rare infection elsewhere. From the eight known HIV-2 groups, only group A and B have established themselves as ongoing endemics in populations. Guinea-Bissau is thought to be the nucleus of the HIV-2 epidemic. HIV-2 has been able to spread there, probably through iatrogenic spread and increased sexual risk behavior between 1950 and 1970. Few studies have investigated risk factors for acquiring HIV-2 infection, but sexual behavior and increased mobility have been associated with HIV-2 infection. In most populations, the highest HIV-2 prevalence is observed in women older than 45 years. Mortality is lower for HIV-2 than for HIV-1 infection, because many infected individuals have low viral loads. The Unusually low viral load is also the reason for the lower transmission rates compared to HIV-1. The HIV-2 epidemic in West Africa has been declining since the mid-1980s, while...
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van Tienen, C., van der Loeff, M.S. (2018). Epidemiology of HIV-2 Infection in West Africa. In: Hope, T.J., Richman, D.D., Stevenson, M. (eds) Encyclopedia of AIDS. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4939-7101-5_34
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