Increasing Number of AIDS Cases and HIV Infected Persons in Taiwan

1990 Vol.6 NO.2

Correspondence Author:

Abstract:

While the number of AIDS cases in Taiwan remains low at 18, the number of reported cases increased 2.5 times through the first 11 months of 1989 (10 cases) compared to 1988 (Figure 1). To date, 15 of the 18 cases have been in Chinese and all but eleven have died (Table 1). Ages have ranged from 25 to 68 years with a median age of 34 Almost all cases have presented with Pneumocystis carinii Pneumonia or opportunistic infections, three cases (2 homosexuals, 1 bisexual) reported prior to 1989 who had Kaposis sarcoma, of note, four cases had confirmed and one suspected tuberculosis which has been increasingly associated with AIDS/HIV. Although most cases were males, the first female was diagnosed in 1989 and cases now cover a wide spectrum of risk factors: homosexuals (8), bisexuals (4), hemophiliacs (4) and heterosexuals (2 -one of whom was a female prostitute).