The role of epidemiology in challenging the HIV/AIDS pandemic

Abstract

The HIV/AIDS pandemic has challenged the resourcefulness of epidemiology and epidemiologists. In response to the challenge, epidemiologists have used existing epidemiologic strategies, expanded existing strategies, and developed new strategies to answer key questions about the transmission of HIV, the natural history of HIV at the molecular, host, and community levels, for evaluation of treatment effectiveness and intervention strategies, and to inform public health policy. In responding to the challenge of the pandemic, epidemiologists have also increasingly collaborated with scientists from other disciplines, particularly immunology, virology, and the behavioral sciences. Examples of the application of these epidemiologic strategies are presented.

Figure 1.. Adults and children estimated to be living with HIV/AIDS as of end 2000.

Figure 2.. HIV prevalence from national sentinel surveillance among high-risk groups in Thailand, June 1989 - June 1999.

Figure 3.. Study design for multicenter AIDS cohort study.

Figure 4.. Natural history of untreated HIV infection.

Figure 5.. Kaplan-meier curves showing acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS)-free survival by human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) RNA category among groups with different baseline CD4⁺ lymphocyte counts.

Figure 6.. Annual number of AIDS cases in children in Thailand, 1987-1999.