Background and ObjectivesProject Horizonte, an open cohort of homosexual and bisexual HIV-1–negative men, is a component of the Minas Gerais AIDS Vaccine Program of the Federal University of Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Brazil. Its objectives included the evaluation of seroincidence of HIV, to ascertain the role of counseling on behavior modification and to assess their willingness to participate in future HIV vaccine trials.MethodsVarious means of recruitment were used, including pamphlets, notices in community newspapers, radio, and television, at anonymous testing centers, and by word of mouth.ResultsFrom October 1994 to May 1999, 470 volunteers were enrolled. Their mean age was 26 years and over 70% of them had high school or college education. During the follow-up, they were seen every 6 months, when they received counseling and condoms, and when HIV testing was done. Eighteen seroconversions were observed, and the incidence rates estimates were 1.75 per 100 and 1.99 per 100 person-years, for 36 and 48 months of follow-up, respectively. During the entire period, 139 volunteers were lost to follow-up. Among them, 59 (42.4%) never returned after the initial visit and 51 (36.7) came only once after their initial visit. No losses were observed for those observed during follow-up for more than 3 years. At enrollment, 50% of participants said they would participate in a vaccine trial, and 30% said they might participate.ConclusionsThe results obtained up to this moment confirm the feasibility of following this type of cohort for an extended period, estimating HIV incidence rate, and evaluating counseling for safe sexual practices in preparation for clinical trials with candidate HIV vaccines in Brazil.