Latin America HIV & AIDS Statistics Summary

General statistics and prevalence

It is estimated that in the Latin American area there were 1,600,000 people living with HIV and AIDS at the end of 2007. Of these, 100,000 were newly infected during 2007. In that same year it is estimated that 58,000 people died of AIDS.

National HIV prevalence (the proportion of the population who are living with HIV) is now estimated to be at least 1% in Belize, Guyana, Honduras and Suriname. However, in most countries HIV is not generalized but is highly concentrated in populations at particular risk. Despite a national prevalence below 1%, Brazil (by far the region's most populous country) accounts for around 40% of people living with HIV in Latin America. In some Brazilian cities, more than 60% of drug users are HIV positive.

Transmission routes

In the majority of South American countries, injecting drug use and sex between men are the most important routes of HIV transmission. The virus is then passed on to other sexual partners. In Central America, drug use plays a smaller role and most infections appear to be occurring through sexual transmission (both heterosexual and between men).

Unsafe sex among men who have sex with men (MSM) is common across the whole region. A ten-country study in Central America has revealed HIV prevalence rates of between 9% and 18% among such men. Studies in the Andean region have further highlighted the problem. Prevalence of 18% among MSM has been reported in Bogotá, Colombia, while a second survey found that very few of the city's MSM consistently use condoms. In Lima, Peru, a tenth of men said they had sex with other men; of these, 9 out of 10 said they also had sex with women. HIV prevalence among MSM in Lima has been measured at 22%.

The spread of HIV through the sharing of drug injecting equipment is of growing concern in several countries, notably Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Paraguay, Uruguay and the northern part of Mexico. In 2002, it was estimated that injecting drug use accounted for 40% of new infections in Argentina and 28% in Uruguay. A 2003 survey found a national prevalence of 9.5% among Uruguay's injecting drug users.

Provision of antiretrovirals

Countries in Latin America do seem determined to limit the impact of the epidemic, and are making efforts to provide antiretroviral drugs to people with HIV/AIDS-related illnesses. Brazil in particular is now producing AIDS drugs at a fraction of the cost of the big multi-nationals. Around 180,000 HIV-positive Brazilians were receiving treatment at the end of 2006, which was 85% of those in immediate need.

Other countries with high levels of access to antiretroviral drugs include Argentina, Chile, Mexico, Panama and Venezuela. However in Ecuador and the poorer countries of Central America a large proportion of people are still unable to access treatment.

The Brazilian government has estimated that antiretroviral treatment has contributed to a 50% fall in mortality rates, a 60-80% decrease in morbidity rates and a 70% reduction in hospitalizations among HIV-positive people. Argentina reported decreasing numbers of deaths between 1999 and 2004, with stabilization over the last two years.

AVERT.org features further discussion of treatment and other issues connected with HIV & AIDS in Latin America.

Estimated HIV/AIDS prevalence and deaths due to AIDS, end 2005

Notes

It should be noted that the above figures are estimates and are made with a large degree of uncertainty. For example, the number of people living with HIV in Brazil is estimated as being between 370,000 and 1,000,000, and Guyana's figure lies in the range 4,700 to 23,000.

WHERE NEXT ?

AVERT.org has more about:

• HIV and AIDS statistics
• Caribbean summary
• Understanding HIV and AIDS statistics
• Worldwide Statistics