[Acquired immunodeficiency syndrome in the adult. Its value in tropical medicine].

In the temperate climate countries, AIDS is defined as the occurrence of opportunistic infections and/or Kaposi's sarcoma in adults, mostly homosexuals. It can be preceded by a related state of asthenia, loss of weight, adenopathies, diarrhoea, but which is far from always developing into AIDS. The immune syndrome is specified by cutaneous anergy , lymphopenia with an elective decrease of OKT4. The etiology is not known and, if one often refers to retro-viruses (specific disease), the role of multiple and repeated infections ( plurifactorial syndrome) can not be discarded. Cases of AIDS exist in Haiti and possibly in Equatorial Africa, the latter may be different from the occidental cases. The planning for a survey in Africa is suggested.