title: Epidemiology and clinical features of HIV infection/AIDS in Korea.
abstract: 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.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Yonsei University College of Medicine, 134 Shinchon-dong, Seodaemun-gu, Seoul 120-752, Korea. jmkim@yumc.yonsei.ac.kr
authors.forename: June Myung
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Goon Jae
authors.initials: GJ
authors.lastname: Cho
authors.forename: Sung Kwan
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Hong
authors.forename: Kyung Hee
authors.initials: KH
authors.lastname: Chang
authors.forename: Joo Sup
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Chung
authors.forename: Young Hwa
authors.initials: YH
authors.lastname: Choi
authors.forename: Young Goo
authors.initials: YG
authors.lastname: Song
authors.forename: Aejung
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Huh
authors.forename: Joon Sup
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Yeom
authors.forename: Kkot Sil
authors.initials: KS
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Jun Yong
authors.initials: JY
authors.lastname: Choi
mesh_terms: 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