PubMed · 8241912
The source did not provide an abstract. Follow the original record for more information.
Explore connections, maps & timelines
S J Tovey, C P Bonell. 1993-10-16. Condoms: a wider range needed.. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.307.6910.987
Cite the original work for its findings. Save a collection to share your selection of sources.
KEEP EXPLORING
Explore the source record for details and available documents.
OBJECTIVES: To document the level of HIV infection in Senegal and also to review evidence of the impact of efforts in prevention, developed by the National AIDS Control Programme and the Civil Society, on the level of the HIV epidemic. METHODS: Research, compilation and critical review of all relevant data on HIV and sexually transmission diseases (STDs) epidemiology, sexual behaviour, and the efforts in prevention developed in Senegal. RESULTS: From 1989 to 1996, the levels of HIV infection estimated in four sentinel urban regions remained stable at around 1.2% in the population of pregnant women, and at 3% in male STD patients. It had increased to 19% in female sex workers. A strong political and community commitment led to an early response to the HIV/AIDS epidemic that has been extended since 1986. Blood transfusion safety was established at the start of the HIV epidemic. The level of knowledge of preventive practices relating to HIV/AIDS among the general population exceeded 90% in the early 1990s. From 1991 to 1996, a 30% to 66% decrease of the STD prevalence rates was observed in pregnant women and sex workers in Dakar. In 1997, 33% of men aged 15-49 years in Dakar reported having had sex with non-regular partners. Among them 67% reported condom use. CONCLUSIONS: It is not possible to know what the course of the HIV epidemic in Senegal would have taken in the absence of efforts at prevention. Certainly, several factors that pre-dated the occurrence of AIDS in Senegal laid the groundwork for a positive response. However, data from a number of sources do reveal the successfulness of efforts in prevention. From available data, Senegal can rightfully claim to have contained the spread of HIV by intervening early and comprehensively to increase knowledge and awareness of HIV/AIDS and to promote safe sexual behaviour.
Synthetic barriers such as gloves, condoms and masks are widely used in efforts to prevent disease transmission. Due to manufacturing defects, tears arising during use, or material porosity, there is inevitably a risk associated with use of these barriers. An understanding of virus transport through the relevant passageways would be valuable in quantifying the risk. However, experimental investigations involving such passageways are difficult to perform, owing to the small dimensions involved. This paper presents a mathematical model for analyzing and predicting virus transport through barriers. The model incorporates a mathematical description of the mechanisms of virus transport, which include carrier-fluid flow, Brownian motion, and attraction or repulsion via virus-barrier interaction forces. The critical element of the model is the empirically determined rate constant characterizing the interaction force between the virus and the barrier. Once the model has been calibrated through specification of the rate constant, it can predict virus concentration under a wide variety of conditions. The experiments used to calibrate the model are described, and the rate constants are given for four bacterial viruses interacting with a latex membrane in saline. Rate constants were also determined for different carrier-fluid salinities, and the salt concentration was found to have a pronounced effect. Validation experiments employing laser-drilled pores in condoms were also performed to test the calibrated model. Model predictions of amount of transmitted virus through the drilled holes agreed well with measured values. Calculations using determined rate constants show that the model can help identify situations where barrier-integrity tests could significantly underestimate the risk associated with barrier use.