title: Epidemiologic features of HIV infection in three municipalities of inner Rio de Janeiro State, Brazil.
abstract: In Brazil relatively little attention is being paid to the study of the features of the spread of the AIDS epidemic towards small cities and rural areas. We report a descriptive study on the epidemiological features of HIV infection among 208 adult patients seen between July 1999 and May 2006 in the municipal HIV/AIDS Programs of three cities of inner Rio de Janeiro State: Saquarema, Santo Antonio de Pádua and Miracema. A portrait of a heterosexual epidemic emerged, with an overall male to female ratio of 1.1. More than 90% were residents of the studied cities, demonstrating a local demand for HIV-related assistance and the importance of municipal HIV/AIDS Programs. Past or current use of snorted cocaine was reported by a quarter of the patients. Older age and male gender were independent predictors of having a diagnosis of AIDS at presentation. The latter is in accordance with a more recent wave of epidemic spread towards female gender. A low frequency of male circumcision, an important determinant of heterosexual HIV transmission, was recorded. Almost 60% of the patients first presented in advanced stages of HIV infection, suggesting the existence of a large pool of undiagnosed cases in the community.
authors.affiliation: Laboratório de Aids & Imunologia Molecular, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brasil. walter-eyer@unirio.br
authors.forename: Walter A
authors.initials: WA
authors.lastname: Eyer-Silva
authors.forename: Maria Alessandra Leite
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Freire
authors.forename: Mary Lúcia
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Gayão
authors.forename: Carlos Alberto
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Basílio-de-Oliveira
authors.forename: Mariza G
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Morgado
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001938:Brazil / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000453:epidemiology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012307:Risk Factors; D012424:Rural Population; D012744:Sex Ratio; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors