AIDS SIDA

HIV infection and its AIDS-defining complications pose a tremendous and rapidly growing threat for the general health status and socioeconomic development in all parts of the world. Recently, the WHO estimated that a total of 12.9 million people worldwide are HIV-positive, and that 2.6 million are considered to have developed AIDS. HIV infection and AIDS are far from representing one unique epidemic or single clinical syndrome. Demographic factors, local prevalence of different infectious agents, health status of the population, health care systems, sexual behaviour and social standards are assumed to be the main factors determining the clinical course and socioeconomic impact of HIV infection and AIDS. The main aim of this volume is to compare the situation regarding AIDS and HIV-infection on two continents - Africa and Europe - focusing on epidemiology, clinical course and social features.