Experiencias Canadienses con el SIDA y la infeccion por el VIH / Canadian experiences with AIDS and HIV infection

RESUMO

Since Canada's first AIDS case was reported in 1978, a total of 1 775 cases have been recorded. Most of these (90 percent) have occurred in three provinces (Ontario, Quebec, and British Columbia); most (89 percent) have occurred among adults 24 to 49 years old; and most (95 percent) of these adult cases have occurred in males. Nationwide, 82 percent of those afflicted have been homosexual of bisexual men, 5 percent have been immigrants from endemic regions, and 4.6 percent have been recipients of blood or blood products. However, the distribution differs in the different provinces-especially in Quebec, where a substantial share of all cases (17 percent) have occurred among immingrants from endemic regions. Regarding levels of HIV infection, information is limited. The authors estimate that roughly 30 000 Canadians were probably infected as of early 1988, but the true number could be as low as 10 000 or as high as 50 000. HIV tests are available free of charge to any Canadian who requests them. At present, a system of voluntary testing of individuals for personal or clinical reasons, combined with anonymous screening of populations for epidemiologic purposes, comprises the HIV testing program in Canada. In seven of Canada's 10 provinces, HIV seropositivity is reportable to public health authorities. One of these provinces conducts a contact tracing programs based on traditional sexually