AIDS information update from WHO Western Pacific Regional Office. November 1987
Virus Information Exchange Newsletter for South-East Asia and the Western Pacific 4(3): 74-75
1987
ISSN/ISBN: 0813-5444 PMID: 12159119 Document Number: 382408
The World Health Organization will be publishing this AIDS (Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome) Information Update for the Western Pacific Region on a quarterly basis and will include the most recent information on the prevalence of AIDS and HIV infections. Depending upon space availability, detailed analysis of the AIDS and HIV infections in addition to pertinent developments in AIDS control in each country will be included in subsequent issues. The 1st case of AIDS in the Region was reported in Australia in 1982. In September 1985, the attention of the WHO Regional Committee for the Western Pacific was drawn to the occurrence of 132 cases of AIDS in 5 countries in the Region -- Australia, 110 cases; New Zealand, 11 cases; Japan, 7 cases; Hong Kong, 3 cases; and China, 1 case. As of November 18, 1987, a cumulative total of 748 cases of AIDS had been reported by 11 countries in the Region, representing a 5-fold increase over the September 1985 figures. In Australia, infection with HIV other than AIDS is a notifiable condition in some states and territories only. A table also indicates the variation in category and in the total surveyed under each category in each country. Another table rearranges this data according to certain risk factors. Results of HIV antibody tests performed on a limited number of homosexuals/bisexuals in Papua New Guinea, the Philippines, and Singapore ranged from around 1/1000 in the Philippines to 20% in Papua New Guinea. Hiv antibody tests performed on a limited number of intravenous drug users in Hong Kong, Macao, and Singapore yielded negative results. It appears that even among prostitutes the proportion of HIV antibody positive reactors continues to be low, ranging from 1-8/10,000 in the Philippines and the Republic of Korea. The proportion of HIV positive reactors among blood donors in 7 countries was quite low indicating that HIV infection has not spread in the general population. The figures indicate that HIV infection rate is low in many countries of the region, indicating it is a relatively new infection, but the danger that it will eventually become widespread is evident.