Prévalence de l'infection par le virus de l'immunodéficience humaine dans une population psychiatrique en Afrique Centrale.

In an African population of 292 women, hospitalised for psychiatric reasons, the seropositivity for HIV was clearly found higher than in the general corresponding population; this was particularly significant for first hospitalisations; furthermore, the seropositivity became twice as high in the group hospitalised several times. The HIV, known for neurotropism, seems responsible for a psychic fragility factor, favorising psychiatric breakdowns as well as their recurrences. No specific psychiatric diagnosis appears to be related to the seropositive patients. This study suggest that psychiatric breakdowns are already favoured in the period preceeding immunodeficiency symptoms (AIDS or ARC).