Important note: Information in this article was accurate in 1990. The state of the art may have changed since the publication date.
THE EPIDEMIOLOGY OF HUMAN IMMUNODEFICIENCY VIRUS AND THE ACQUIRED IMMUNODEFICIENCY SYNDROME
Infect Dis Ther; 3:3-41 1989. Unique Identifier : AIDSLINE ICDB/90665436 Rutherford GW; San Francisco Dept. of Public Health, San Francisco, CA
Abstract:
In the 6 yr after AIDS was first reported, over 60,000 cases were reported worldwide. It is likely that several million people have been infected with HIV and are at risk of developing AIDS. The epidemiology and definition of AIDS and HIV infection are reviewed and possible future trends of this pandemic are discussed. The natural history of HIV infection and AIDS in the United States is covered, including transmission of HIV (sexual, parenteral, and perinatal); prevalence, incidence, persistence, and outcome of HIV infection (natural history, risk factors, and immunologic and virologic correlates); descriptive epidemiology (homosexual and bisexual men, homosexual and bisexual male iv drug users, heterosexuals, heterosexual iv drug users, transfusion recipients, hemophiliacs, health care workers, and children of parents at risk for AIDS); opportunistic infections and malignancies; survival; and trends. In the absence of effective antiviral therapy, cases of AIDS should be expected to increase well into the future, even if HIV transmission could be interrupted today. Certain types of HIV transmission, such as transfusion- or hemophilia-associated transmission, can be interrupted with careful screening of donated blood and heat treatment of clotting factors, but even slowing the other modes of transmission will require unprecedented health education efforts. It is likely that definitive prevention will depend on the development of a safe, effective, and inexpensive vaccine. However, given the magnitude of the AIDS pandemic, waiting for a vaccine is an unacceptable strategy. The medical profession, community groups, educational institutions, churches, and industry need to reach out and frankly educate the public about sexuality, drug use, and other factors involved in the spread of AIDS. (216 Refs)
Keywords: Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome/COMPLICATIONS/*EPIDEMIOLOGY/ TRANSMISSION Adolescence Adult Child Comparative Study Cross-Cultural Comparison Cross-Sectional Studies *Disease Outbreaks Female Forecasting Human HIV/*ISOLATION & PURIF HIV Infections/*EPIDEMIOLOGY/TRANSMISSION Incidence Infant, Newborn Male Opportunistic Infections/COMPLICATIONS/EPIDEMIOLOGY Pregnancy Risk Factors United States/EPIDEMIOLOGY JOURNAL ARTICLE REVIEW REVIEW, TUTORIAL 901030
M90A0698
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Important note: Information in this article was accurate in 1990. The state of the art may have changed since the publication date.
