Study on the Distribution of HIV/AIDS Infections Among Age Groups Attending General Hospital Toto, Central Nigeria

HIV/AIDS continues to remain a serious public health problem in the developing nations of the world especially in Nigeria, where about 2.9 million people are living with the infection. This study aimed at determining the seroprevalence of HIV with associated risk factors among various age groups attending General Hospital Toto, Central Nigeria. Two hundred blood samples were collected and screened for HIV using conventional methods. The observed cumulative seroprevalence of studied cases was 20.50%, with patients within the age groups 51- 60 and 31- 40 having a high seropositivity while the least seropositivity was recorded among 11- 20 and 0- 10 age groups. Various risk factors examined indicated that farmers, illiterates, singles and males had high seroprevalence of 39.13%, 32.55%, 26.47% and 23.37% respectively. There was no statistically significant relationship (P>0.05) between the various age groups and other predisposing risk factors examined. Efforts on the enlightenment campaign and orientation of the rural populace about HIV infection especially the reproductive age group are considered here as recommendation for averting or at least minimizing the scourge amongst populations of the study area.