Epidemiology and clinical features of HIV infection/AIDS in Korea.
HIV infection/AIDS shows characteristic epidemiological and clinical patterns according to the region, country, and race. The epidemiological and clinical patterns of HIV infection/ AIDS in Korea was investigated by retrospectively analyzing the medical records of 176 HIV-infected persons who visited two major referral hospitals of AIDS in Korea from 1985 to April 2000. The most common transmission route was heterosexual contact (52.3%), followed by homosexual contact (23.9%). Among the opportunistic diseases, candidiasis was the most prevalent (21.6%), followed by Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia (15.9%), tuberculosis (12.5%), and CMV infection (9.1%). The most common initial AIDS-defining opportunistic disease was tuberculosis (33.3%). The most common causes of death were tuberculosis (25.7%) and Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia (25.7%). This study describes the epidemiological and clinical patterns of HIV infection/AIDS in Korea, which not only enables us to accurately understand HIV infection/ AIDS in this country, but eventually to aid in establishing effective preventive measures and treatment guidelines in Korea.
Kim
June Myung
JM
Department of Internal Medicine, Yonsei University College of Medicine, 134 Shinchon-dong, Seodaemun-gu, Seoul 120-752, Korea. jmkim@yumc.yonsei.ac.kr
Cho
Goon Jae
GJ
Hong
Sung Kwan
SK
Chang
Kyung Hee
KH
Chung
Joo Sup
JS
Choi
Young Hwa
YH
Song
Young Goo
YG
Huh
Aejung
A
Yeom
Joon Sup
JS
Lee
Kkot Sil
KS
Choi
Jun Yong
JY
D000163:Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome / Q000150:complications* / Q000453:epidemiology*; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007723:Korea / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009894:Opportunistic Infections / Q000209:etiology; D011020:Pneumonia, Pneumocystis / Q000401:mortality; D015995:Prevalence; D014376:Tuberculosis / Q000401:mortality