De hiv-pandemie anno 2007, een overzicht

- 40 million people are infected with HIV worldwide, the majority of whom (63) are in sub-Saharan Africa.

- While the absolute number of HIV infections continues to increase, the rate of growth of the pandemic is stabilising, possibly as a result of changes in sexual behaviour or a maturing of the epidemic in countries with high AIDS-related mortality.

- 80 of people infected with HIV that requires treatment do not have access to antiretroviral drugs.

- A single dose of nevirapine given to mothers before delivery and to newborns after delivery can reduce the risk of transmission to 10-15. Only 9 of HIV-positive pregnant women worldwide have access to this method of prevention.

- Two studies showed that male circumcision reduces the risk of HIV infection by 53-60.

- About 60 different vaginal microbicides are under investigation at this time; so far results with this approach have been disappointing.

- More than 35 vaccines have been tested in clinical trials; none have appeared to be sufficiently effective. Most candidate vaccines under current investigation focus on T cell immunity.

- Increasingly more people favour an ‘opting-out’ strategy for HIV testing.

Ned Tijdschr Geneeskd. 2007;151:2655-60