latin america

latin america

trends

Abstracted from

UNAIDS AIDS Epidemic Update: December 2003

At the end of 2003, it was estimated that approximately 1.3 to 1.9 million people were living with AIDS in Latin America. This number includes an estimated total of 120,000 to 180,000 new infections in 2003. AIDS related death accounted for 49,000 to 70,000 deaths in this region.

Latin America has a high concentration of the HIV epidemic. The prime reason for the rapid spread of the epidemic in South America is attributed to an increase in the number of people injecting drugs (mostly men) who subsequently transmit the virus to their female partners.

In Central America sexual transmission (both heterosexual and homosexual men) is causing an increase in HIV infections. In Central America, national HIV prevalence is around 1% in Guatemala , Honduras, and Panama. New data from an international study on HIV prevalence show that HIV prevalence in sex workers varies significantly--from less than 1% in Nicaragua, 2% in Panama, 4% in El Salvador, and 5% in Guatemala, to over 10% in Honduras. HIV prevalence among men who have sex with men was also high in those countries--ranging from 9% in Nicaragua to 18% in El Salvador. Migration is another reason for the alarming spread of the disease in Central America . People find themselves constantly trying to relocate in search of new jobs.

In Colombia and Peru, HIV is primarily spreading through men who have sex with men and subsequently transmit the virus to their female partners. HIV prevalence rate of 18% was recently reported in this population group in Bogotá, while another survey in the same city found very low consistent condom use in this group. Similar results were observed in Peru . HIV prevalence rate of 22% has been measured in the city of Lima among men who have sex with men (up from 18% in 1998), where 1 in 10 men surveyed said they had sex with other men (and, of these, almost 9 in 10 said they also had sex with women). Condom use in this population is extremely rare.

In Brazil, median HIV prevalence among pregnant women attending antenatal clinics has remained below 1%, with little variation over the past five years. Brazil 's national prevention and treatment plans contribute to this success. It is to be noted that HIV prevalence rates of 3-6% have been measured in Rio Grande do Sul among women who do not have access to the public health system. This result has raised concerns that the epidemic may still be serious in some areas and has not yet been detected.

analysis:trends