Abstracts Vol. 1 [International Conference on AIDS (11th: 1996: Vancouver, Canada)]

Track C: Epidemiology & Public Health
Mo.C.1499
HIV SEROPREVALENCE IN JAPAN
Imai Mistunobu*, Shimizu M**, Kihara M***,Yamazaki S****, Nishioka K*****. HIV
Monitoring Project, HIV Epidemiology Res. Group *Kanagawa Prefectural Public Health
Laboratory, Japan, **Tokyo Women's Medical College, Japan, ***Kanagawa Cancer Center
Res. Inst., Japan, ****NIH, Japan, *****AIDS Research Foundation of Japan
Objective: To monitor HIV infection in Japan by measuring HIV antibody prevalence in
various groups.
Methods: Three groups were monitored in 1994: (I) Regional center based survey for high
risk groups who desired HIV testing (2) Hospital based survey for patients who desired
HIV testing (3) Voluntary donors at Japanese Red Cross blood centers throughout Japan.
Antibody testing were carried out by gelatine particle agglutination, enzyme immunoassay
and Western blot.The results were confirmed by at least two methods.
Results: 1) As for 15 regional health center survey, 48,253 cases were tested and 46
(95.3/10) were positive. (2) As for hospital based survey, 600 were positive among
825,858 (72.6/105). (3) As for blood voluntary donors in Japan Red Cross blood center, 34
out of 6,298,706 units were positive (0.54/10-).
Conclusion: These data indicate that HIV infection rate ingeneral population in Japan
belong to a country of the lowest group (less than 2.5/10 ) according to WHO criteria and
that of blood donors in Japan is less than I/134 to 1/176 as compared with high risk
groups who desired HIV testing.
Mitsunobu Imai, 52-2 Nakao-cho Asahi-ku Yokohama, 24 I Japan Telephone:8 I -45-363-1030
Fax: 8 I -45-363-1037
Mo.C. 1500
CURRENT SITUATION AND TREND OF HIV/AIDS EPIDEMIC IN JAPAN
Soda K.L,Yamazaki S 1,Yamada KI, Shimada KI, Kawasaki N1, KurimuraT 1,Tajima K1,
Negishi M 1, Ito AI, Iwao S2, Shinmura K2, UmedaT2, Hashimoto S3, Fukutomi K3, Ichikawa
S3. I)National AIDS Surveillance Committee, 2)Ministry of Health & Welfare, 3)AIDS
Epidemiology Res. Group, Japan
Objective:To describe the current epidemiological situation and trend of HIV/AIDS epidemic in Japan.
Materials:The data used were obtained from the reporting of AIDS cases and HIV infections (carriers and ARC) to the National AIDS Surveillance Committee from March 1985
up to the latest time.
Results:The epidemiological status of HIV/AIDS in Japan as at the end of 1995 is summarized as follows:Total number of reported AIDS cases and HIV infections are 1 154 (I67
foreigners) and 3524 (915 foreigners) respectively.Total number of hemophiliacs and coagulation disorders transmitted through HIV contaminated blood products is 1806 cases
including 582 AIDS cases, all of whom are Japanese. Excluding hemophiliac cases, there are
572 AIDS cases (I 67 foreigners) and 1718 HIV infections (915 foreigners).The breakdown
of those cases by risk factors shows that share of heterosexual contact (37%) and male
homosexuals (31%) are almost at the same level in AIDS cases, while heterosexual contact
(50%) is significantly more frequent than homosexuals (20%) in HIV infections. Sex ratio
(male:female) is 6.8: I in AIDS cases and I. I: I in HIV infections. It was noted that in HIV
infections the share of foreigner females, particularly those from southeast Asian countries,
increased rapidly and surpassed that of Japanese males during the period, 1991-1993. Until
now declining trend of annual incidence has been observed neither in AIDS cases nor in
HIV infections.The estimated prevalence of HIV infected persons was predicted to be
6,300-8,500 in Japanese and 700-1,700 in foreigners in 2000.
Kenji Soda, Dept. of Public Health,Yokohama City University School of Medicine, 3-9,
Fukuura, Kanazawa-ku,Yokohama 236, Japan, Phone: [phone],Fax [phone]
Mo.C.1501
KNOWLEDGE AND ATTITUDE TO HIV/AIDS AMONG THE NINTH GRADE
STUDENTS IN ISLANDS OF OKINAWA PREFECTURE, JAPAN
Akio Kitayama*,Teruko Tinen**. *The Institute of Public Health, Japan; **Nanbu Public
Health Center, Okinawa Pref., Japan
Objectives:To assess knowledge about and attitude to HIV/AIDS among the ninth grade
students in islands of Okinawa prefecture and to identify the area of knowledge deficit and
improper attitude to modify.
Methods: 72 ninth grade students who lived in islands of Okinawa prefecture were surveyed with a questionnaire, their knowledge about transmission, precautionary measures,
information resource, general attitude and feeling to HIV/AIDS were assessed.
Result: It was indicated that the students of islands had a poor level of knowledge and
improper attitude toward HIV/AIDS as shown in Table I, and Table 2.
Table I.The percentage of correct answers regarding
HIV/AIDS transmission

Mo.C.1499 - Mo.C.1504
Conclusion: Our survey indicated that both knowledge of HIV/AIDS and attitude were
extremely inadequate among the ninth grade students living in islands of Okinawa pref It is
imperative that special programs against HIV/AIDS should be developed and offered to
them.
Akio Kitayama, D.H.S.The Institute of Public Health, 4-6- I Shirokanedai, Minato-ku,Tokyo
108,Tel.: 03-344 I -7 I I IFax: 03-3446-5383
Mo.C.1502
CHANGING PATTERN OF HIV INFECTION AS SEEN AT THE UNIVERSITY OF
MALAYA MEDICAL CENTER (UMMC)
Ismail, Rokiah. University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Objectives: To determine the pattern of transmission of HIV infection in a cohort of
patients attending the University of Malaya Medical Center and the stage of the disease
using clinical and immunological parameters.
Methods: Two categories of patients were analyzed: I) those who presented with AIDSrelated illnesses and 2) asymptomatic HIV infected persons who attended our medical clinic.
Results:The UMMC HIV/AIDS register has since recorded 180 HIV/AIDS cases since 1986.
Of these, 50 had since died.There are currently 130 people living with HIV/AIDS as of
January 4, 1996. Analysis of the data showed that 42.9% acquired HIV through sharing needles by intravenous drug users. Heterosexual transmission is shown to be on the rise
(38.9%). Of the IVDUs on regular followup, 96.3% are asymptomatic, and 3.7% had already
developed AIDS. Among the heterosexuals, 56% (23) are asymptomatic and 44% (I 8) have
symptomatic disease (AIDS).
Conclusions: The pattern of spread of HIV is changing. Although the official national data
show infection predominantly among IVDUs, we are seeing an increasing number of heterosexually acquired HIV cases at the UMMC; and their presentation is in late stage disease
with low CD4 counts. In this study it was noted that the IVDUs present to the followup
clinic early in the course of their illness, whereas among the heterosexuals, their first presentation to the hospital is related to symptomatic disease.Therefore we recommend that
people who perceive themselves at risk to request for HIV antibody testing after being
given adequate counselling and to get linked up to medical care as early as possible.
Rokiah Ismail, Department of Medicine, University of Malaya, 50603 Kuala Lumpur Malaysia.
Fax: [phone], email address: [email protected]
Mo.C.1503
THE STUDY OF HIV SENTINEL SURVEILLANCE IN YUNNAN CHINA 1992-1994
hang, lia-peng, Cheng H.H., Zhao P Yunnan Center for AIDS Prevention, Care and
Research
Objective: To describe HIV prevalence and its trend among selected population in Yunnan
Province, China
Methods: The data were based on the results from 29 sentinel surveillance sites during
1992-1994.
Results: The range of HIV prevalence among the intravenous drug users (IDUs) from 13
drug rehabilitation centers was 0-72.9%. Among these sites, Ruili city had the highest prievalence, the range was 45.0-72.9%: theranges were 28.3-47. 1% and 12.8-35.5% in Longchuan
and Yinjiang counties respectively, it was just 0-2% in Luxi county; it was 0-4.9% in Linchang
Prefecture, and 0-0.6% in Baosan Prefecture.The rate tended to decrease in Ruili cityThe
reson may be related to the decrease of number of positive IDUs who enter drug rehabilitation center or may be related to the behavior of sharing needles restrained among the
local IDUs. Anyway it will need to do futher investigation. In 9 STD clinic sites the HIV infection rate was 0-3.5%.The HIV prevalence was 0-0.9% among the pregnant women and was
0.2-0.5 in unlinked sera in high HIV epidemic areas.
Conclusion: The results above showed that HIV infection was spreading from the epicenter
areas to adjacent Counties and Prefectures. Urgently health education should be taken.
Zhang Jia-peng # I158 Dongsi St., Kunming, China 650022
Mo.C. 1504
THE HIV EPIDEMIC IN YUNNAN PROVINCE, 1995
Hehe Cheng, J.P Zhang,J.D Kou,Y Zhang, Yunnan Provincial Health and Anti-epidemic
Center, China
Objective: To describe the current HIV epidemic in Yunnan Province, China
Method:The analysis on the HIV epidemic was based on case funding, sentinel surveillance
and special investigation.
Result Since HIV epidemic was detected in 1989 in Yunnan it has spread steadily fiom the
epicenter in Dehong prefecture to adjacent counties and prefectures. It was not until 1995
however, that it was discovered that HIV infection existed in most prefecture throughout
Yunnan.The HIV epidemic in Western Yunnan was related to intravenous drug use. HIV
infection in Southern Yunnan which was discovered several years ago was related to young
women returned from Thailand where they contracted HIV infection. In 1995, HIV preva
lence among IDUs in Dehong Prefecture continues to be high. Ruili City has a rate of
73.2%.Yingiiang County 36.4%, Longchuan County 60.9% and Luxi County from 1.5% in
1994 to 7.2% in 1995. At the same time HIV rates increased rapidly from 4.9% and 10.0%
in 1994 to 50.5% and 5I.4% in 1995 in tow sites in Lingchang prefecture adjacent to
Dehong.The areas of newly reporting HIV infection through intravenous drug use include
Kunming (with having previously tested 4000) the capital of Yunnan Province with a prevalence 0.,6% Honghe prefecture site 0.7%, Simao prefecture site 1.8%, Chuxiong site 2. 1%,
and Banna and Yuxi through case finding. Besides the sexual transmission of HIV is increasing.The site of re-education center for prostitutes in Hunming has a first tume reported HIV
rate of 2.4%.The spouses of HIV positive persons in Ruili, Dehong have HIV rate of I I.4%.
And maternal infection was confirmed.
Conclusion: The expansion of HIV epidemic in Yunnan towards the whole province is a
reality Howeve different HIV prevalence form different populations and from different
areas still suggests that there is an opportunity to control infection rate.
Hehe ChengYunnan Provincial Health & Anti-epidemic Centec # 158 Dongsi St., Kunming,

China 650022,T:086-087 I -3611773 Fax:[phone]

mother's milk (R)
blood transfusion (F)
heredity (F)
semen (R)
blood (R)

Islands Sts.
11.3%
18.3%
52.1%
66.2%
88.7%

(R)=Right, (F)=Fault
Table 2.The percentage of precautionary measures against HIV/AIDS

correct knowledge
sex with condom
no touching blood
no close to HIV/AIDS people

Islands Sts.
84.1%
46.4%
34.8%
5.8%