Epidemiology of Hiv
Chapter 1
1.1 Background
The HIV and AIDS pandemic remains one the most serious development crises in the world (WHO, 2006). Women and children bear a disproportionate share of the burden, and in many settings continue to experience high rates of new HIV infections and of HIV-related illness and death. In 2005 alone, an estimated 540 000 children were newly infected with HIV, with about
90% of these infections occurring in sub-Saharan Africa (UNAIDS, 2006) .UNAIDS estimates that approximately 370 000 children were infected with HIV in 2007[1]. More than 90% of these infections were caused by vertical transmission from mother to infant and approximately 90% occurred in Sub Saharan Africa [1]. In the most heavily affected countries, such as South Africa, Botswana and Zimbabwe, HIV is the underlying reason for more than one third of all deaths among children under the age of five and this is reversing previous gains in child survival. Prevention of mother to child transmission (PMTCT) interventions such as antiretroviral (ARV) prophylaxis have dramatically reduced the risk of vertical transmission from around 40% to less than 5% in some research and pilot settings in Sub Saharan Africa [2]. Governments have committed themselves to reduce the proportion of infants infected with HIV by 50 per cent by 2010, by ensuring that 80% of women have access to PMTCT interventions [3]. However recent data show that overall coverage of ARVs for HIV positive pregnant women is 33% [4] and there is poor coverage in countries with the greatest number of pregnant women living with HIV such as South Africa (50% coverage, [5]Nigeria (3% coverage[5] and Tanzania (15% coverage)[5].
In Ethiopia According to calibrated single point estimates (2007), the national adult HIV prevalence is reported to be 2.1% (7.7% in urban and 0.9% in rural areas). 977,394 Ethiopians are living with HIV/AIDS (41% males, 59% females); an estimated 75,420 HIV-positive pregnant women are anticipated in
1.1 Background
The HIV and AIDS pandemic remains one the most serious development crises in the world (WHO, 2006). Women and children bear a disproportionate share of the burden, and in many settings continue to experience high rates of new HIV infections and of HIV-related illness and death. In 2005 alone, an estimated 540 000 children were newly infected with HIV, with about
90% of these infections occurring in sub-Saharan Africa (UNAIDS, 2006) .UNAIDS estimates that approximately 370 000 children were infected with HIV in 2007[1]. More than 90% of these infections were caused by vertical transmission from mother to infant and approximately 90% occurred in Sub Saharan Africa [1]. In the most heavily affected countries, such as South Africa, Botswana and Zimbabwe, HIV is the underlying reason for more than one third of all deaths among children under the age of five and this is reversing previous gains in child survival. Prevention of mother to child transmission (PMTCT) interventions such as antiretroviral (ARV) prophylaxis have dramatically reduced the risk of vertical transmission from around 40% to less than 5% in some research and pilot settings in Sub Saharan Africa [2]. Governments have committed themselves to reduce the proportion of infants infected with HIV by 50 per cent by 2010, by ensuring that 80% of women have access to PMTCT interventions [3]. However recent data show that overall coverage of ARVs for HIV positive pregnant women is 33% [4] and there is poor coverage in countries with the greatest number of pregnant women living with HIV such as South Africa (50% coverage, [5]Nigeria (3% coverage[5] and Tanzania (15% coverage)[5].
In Ethiopia According to calibrated single point estimates (2007), the national adult HIV prevalence is reported to be 2.1% (7.7% in urban and 0.9% in rural areas). 977,394 Ethiopians are living with HIV/AIDS (41% males, 59% females); an estimated 75,420 HIV-positive pregnant women are anticipated in
References: 16. UNAIDS. AIDS epidemic update: December 1998.Geneva, Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS, 1998. 17 UNAIDSHIV/AIDS: the global epidemic. Geneva, Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS, 1996 (fact sheet). 18 Department of Health, South Africa. Sixth National HIV survey of women attending antenatal clinics of the public health services in the Republic of South Africa, October/November 1995. Epidemiological Comments, 1996, 23(1):3-17. 21 . Ghys PD, Fransen K, Diallo MO et al. The associations between cervicovaginal HIV shedding, sexually transmitted diseases and immunosuppression in female sex workers in Abidjan, Cote d 'Ivoire. AIDS, 1997, 11(12):F85-F93 22