HIV / AIDS in Asia.

The US Bureau of the Census maintains the HIV/AIDS Surveillance Data Base. Its Population Division has taken data from Asian 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. As of mid-1995 there have been an estimated more than 3.5 million people infected with HIV in Asia. The HIV/AIDS epidemic is rising fastest in South/Southeast Asia. IV drug users especially those in Myanmar Thailand and India are experiencing the largest increases in HIV infection. The HIV infection rate is high among commercial sex workers (e.g. in Madurai India 64.7%; in northern Thailand <40%). The rate among STD clinic patients is as high as 24% (in Bombay India). HIV infection has not yet been detected in pregnant women in Nepal Indonesia Cambodia Mongolia China and Macau. In September 1993 about 12% of pregnant women in Tachileik Myanmar were infected with HIV. The HIV prevalence rate in Pune India in 1992 was 3.8%. Blood donor screening programs have been set up in some countries. During 1989-1994 HIV prevalence among blood donors increased from 0.5% to 3.5% in Cambodia.