HIV / AIDS in Latin America and the Caribbean.

The US Bureau of the Census maintains the HIV/AIDS Surveillance Data Base. Its Population Division has taken data from Latin American and Caribbean countries to describe the levels and trends of HIV infection as they apply to geography time and population. The report focuses on recent patterns and trends emerging epidemics and the expanding spread of HIV. It considers commercial sex workers intravenous (IV) drug users and STD (sexually transmitted disease) clinic patients as high risk populations and pregnant women blood donors and the general population as low risk populations. The report also examines other risk groups (i.e. military and homosexual/bisexual men). IV drug users are experiencing a large increase in HIV infection (e.g. between 1990 and 1992 in Mexico and Brazil 9-31%). The HIV infection rate among commercial sex workers is less than 10% in Andean countries the Southern Cone Central America and Mexico while it is higher than 10% in Brazil and the Latin America. The rate among STD clinic patients is as high as 21.4% (1992 in Haiti). HIV-infected patients were more likely to be males than females. HIV infection in pregnant women is rare (<1%) in many Latin American countries. It is higher in Caribbean countries especially in Haiti (6-8%). The HIV infection rate among pregnant women is increasing nevertheless. During 1989-1994 HIV prevalence among blood donors was greater than 1% in the Bahamas Dominican Republic Guyana and Haiti. HIV is showing up in blood donors not deemed as high risk for HIV infection. The HIV infection rate among the general population is highest in Haiti and the Dominican Republic. The HIV seroprevalence rate among the military is 0.8% in Buenos Aires Argentina and 0.4% in El Salvador and Guatemala.