The Impact of Antiretroviral Therapy on the HIV Epidemic in South Africa
Year: 2013
Type: dissertation
Abstract: The Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) is the cause of Acquired Immune Deficiency\nSyndrome (AIDS), a lethal disease characterized by the destruction of the immune system. At the end of 2010, there were about 34 million people infected with HIV worldwide.\nThe epicenter of the HIV pandemic lies in sub-Saharan Africa (figure 1.1): with only 12% of the\nworld’s population, 68% of all people living with HIV live in the subcontinent. Although the\nnumber of new infections worldwide declined over the past decades, there were an estimated 2.7\nmillion acquired the infection in 2010 [3]. Especially countries in Eastern and Southern Africa\nare heavily affected by the pandemic. In countries like Botswana or Swaziland prevalence levels in\nthe adult population are as high as 20 to 25%. South Africa is the country with the largest HIVinfected\npopulation worldwide. With prevalence levels of about 15% in the population aged over\n15 years, the country has about 6 million people living with HIV. Over the past few years, the\nnumber of new infections in the country declined, yet incidence levels remain considerable.\nIn mid-2010, about 1.5 million people infected with HIV were receiving antiretroviral therapy\n(ART), while a further 1.5 million are estimated to be eligible for treatment.
Author: Jan A. C. Hontelez
Language: English
Subfield: Infectious Diseases
Field: Medicine
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W205415841