HIV EPIDEMIOLOGY, TRENDS AND CONTROL POLICIES IN GUANGDONG PROVINCE

Guangdong Provincial HIV Surveillance and Testing Center
Lin Peng, Jiang Linin, Zeng Changhong, Zhao Xixi, Zhou Huiqiong, Lin Kaisheng

The first HIV case in Guangdong was found in 1986, and by the end of 1995, a total of 166 HIV positive cases were reported, including 13 AIDS patients and 17 units of blood products.

1. Epidemiology:
(1) Distribution By Year. Of the 166 HIV cases, 1 in 1986 and 1987 respectively, 2 in 1989, 5 in 1990, 19 in 1991, 32 in 1992, 26 in 1993, 31 in 1994, 49 in 1995, the number is increasing by year.
(2) Distribution by Population and Location. 59 foreigners, 107 Chinese citizens, of which 50 were guangdong residents and 60% were from Chao Shan region, 42 infected through sexual contacts in Thailand.

2. Epidemiological Factors and Trends:
(1) Guangdong locates in the south of the country, and many people frequently go in and out of the border, which provide the opportunity for the virus to spread in Guangdong province.
(2) Guangdong is the hometown for many overseas Chinese, such as Chao Shan region in Southeast, many of them stay in Southeast Asian countries, such as Thailand. Since the first HIV case found in Oct.1990, 31 cases of Chao Shan residents were found HIV positive when returning from visiting their relatives in Thailand. They all said having sexual contacts with prostitutes in Thailand. This group of people is a high risk population for HIV introduction to our province.
(3) Accompanied by the fast economic development and frequent foreign exchanges, social problems like prostitution and drug use are increasing. In 1995, first case of local infection with HIV by sexual contacts was found.
(4) Illegal drug trafficking out of the border through Yunnan and Guangdong, the traffickers also use drugs and visit prostitutes.
(5) HIV transmission in health care systems. Many hospitals receive a increasing number of overseas patients, and HIV awareness is still quite low in health care personnels. Some hospitals has not yet set up HIV testing. There happened that some patients were found HIV positive after being treated for some time.
(6) It is estimated that 5000 people may be infected with HIV in Guangdong Province.

3. Prevention Policies:
(1) Strengthening the HIV surveillance in high risk populations, such as STD patients, drug users, and returning chinese from abroad.
(2) Health education. HIV/AIDS health education through public media, such as newspapers, radio, and TV.
(3) Strengthening the HIV screening in blood centers.
(4) To establish AIDS fund for HIV surveillance, health education, and preventive research.