HIV Infection and AIDS in China, 1985 through 1994.

Objectives. This paper analyzes data on the distribution of and risk factors for the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection in China. Methods. Ten years of data on persons tested for HIV infection and AIDS and the proportion who tested positive were analyzed against the background of China's population count. The Chinese- and English-language literature on HIV and AIDS from 1985 through 1995 was also reviewed. Results. Overall, more males than females had HIV infection. Intravenous drug use was the primary source of transmission, followed by heterosexual contacts. Only a small number of the persons tested were homosexual, but their proportion of HIV seropositivity ranked third to that of drug users; that of general hospital patients ranked fourth. Conclusions. HIV infection and AIDS in China began as a highly regionalized and largely rural problem in Yunnan Province. However, HIV infection and AIDS have become an emerging urban problem. HIV seropositivity is low among several groups thought to have an elevated risk. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]