Recent HIV seroprevalence levels by country : December 1994

Bureau of the Census has been compiling HIV seroprevalence information from thousands of publications and presentations for its HIV/AIDS surveillance database. The tables and figures presented in this semiannual update are based on data selected from the database as the best available on HIV-1 and, and where available, HIV-2 seroprevalence among high-risk (e.g., drug users and sex workers) and low-risk populations in developing countries. Summary tables are presented showing seroprevalence estimates for high- and low-risk groups in major cities and rural areas for all developing countries; urban data for Africa are plotted on maps as well, showing the distribution by country. A special section reviews the spread of HIV in Asia through graphs and figures with accompanying text; while the data are limited, the review concludes that though introduced into Asia much later than in most of the world, HIV has already moved into the general (e.g., low-risk) population, and governments in the region have been slow to react. A brief discussion of data quality issues and selection criteria notes that most data are not based on national samples but on more limited surveys. Includes bibliography.