The prevalence of HIV in Pretoria's Medico-Legal Laboratory cases, RSA, in 2009

The purpose of this study was to determine the prevalence of Human Immunodefi ciency Virus (HIV) amongst decedents admitted to the Pretoria Medico-Legal Laboratory (MLL). The study was designed as a cross sectional study. It is not standard procedure for the pathologist to do a HIV test at autopsy. Post mortem (PM) blood samples were obtained from all bodies admitted to the Pretoria MLL during one month in 2009. Analysis of the blood samples was performed using standardised laboratory procedures. Two hundred and thirty-eight PM blood samples were collected. In 43 cases (17%), the test results were invalid. Of the 195 valid test samples, 51 (26.2%) were HIV-positive. The prevalence of HIV in this study was 15% higher than that reported in a similar study done 10 years previously.