Update on HIV/AIDS in Japan, 2003

In Japan, the first case of HIV-1 infection was discovered in 1983 (Miyoshi et al.,1983) and incidence continued to increase among Japanese hemophiliacs through 1985 by repeated inoculations of coagulation factor products VIII and IX imported from the United States into Japan. Approximately 2000 hemophiliacs were estimated to be infected with HIV, demonstrating a 40% infectivity rate of HIV among a total of 5000 hemophiliacs treated with the contaminated blood products. Furthermore, 12 non-hemophiliacs were retrospectively defined to be infected with HIV-1 (hereafter referred to simply as HIV) by their treatment with the contaminated products.