International Journal of STD & AIDS > Volume 19, Number 12 > Pp. 833-837

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Original research articles

Low seroprevalence of HIV and syphilis in pregnant women in refugee camps on the Thai-Burma border

K Plewes MD ^*, T Lee MPH&TM ^*, L Kajeechewa ^*, M M Thwin ^*, S J Lee PhD  , V I Carrara MD PhD ^* , F Nosten MD PhD ^*   and R McGready MBBS PhD ^*   

^* Shoklo Malaria Research Unit (SMRU), PO Box 46, Mae Sot, Tak 63110; Mahidol-Oxford Tropical Medical Research Unit (MORU), Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Bangkok 10400, Thailand; Centre for Vaccinology and Tropical Medicine, Churchill Hospital, Oxford OX3 7LJ, UK

Correspondence to: Dr Rose McGready Email: rose{at}shoklo-unit.com

Refugee and migrant populations are considered to be at high risk from sexually transmitted infection (STI) and HIV. Cross-sectional surveys for syphilis and HIV were conducted in antenatal clinics (ANCs) on the Thai-Burmese border. In Mae La refugee camp, the seroprevalence of HIV and syphilis were 0.2% (one of 500) (95% CI 0–1.1) and 0% (0 of 404) (95% CI 0–0.9) in 1997; and 0.4% (two of 500) (95% CI 0.1–1.4) and 0.4% (three of 741) (95% CI 0.1–1.2) in 2005, respectively; syphilis seroprevalence in migrant women in 2005 was 0 (0 of 234) (95% CI 0–1.6). The seroprevalence was lower than that reported from surrounding ANCs for Thai or Burmese women. Focus group discussions with HIV-negative and -positive pregnant refugee women established that aspects of Karen culture and isolation (geographical and political) had a significant protective role from HIV and STI. This survey has resulted in programmatic changes in services to pregnant women in this area.

Key Words: HIV • migrants • pregnancy • refugees • syphilis

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