ABSTRACT
Acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS), the disease caused by the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), has been a major global health challenge since it was first identified in the early 1980s. Asia is not an exception. Even a small rise in the HIV incidence in Asia could produce large numbers of new infections because of the huge population base. Asian epidemics are characterized by many explosive localized epidemics in certain subpopulations such as the people who inject drugs, sex workers and their clients, and men who have sex with men. Yet overall HIV/AIDS prevalence has remained low throughout the region because of limited sexual networking in the general population and targeted interventions. However, the various high-risk groups are connected through population mobility and mixing, and therefore continue to sustain localized epidemics where responses are inadequate.
