Data were obtained from the Cuban HIV/AIDS programme established in 1983. This programme has an extensive adultHIV testingpolicy, including testing of all pregnant women. HIV and AIDS cases have been recorded since 1986. Persons found to be HIV-positive are interviewed on their sexual behaviour and partners. Tracing and voluntary testing of these partners are organised. Epidemiological description of this epidemic was obtained from analysis of this data set. Using elementary mathematical analyses, we estimated the coverage of the detection system (percentage of HIV-positive adults detected) and the average period between HIV infection and detection. Estimated HIVprevalence rates were corrected to account for the coverage.
Results:
HIVprevalence has increased since 1996. In 2005, the prevalence among pregnant women was 1.2 per 10,000 (16/137000). Estimated HIVprevalence among 15- to 49-year-olds was 8.1 per 10,000 (4913/6065000; 95percentCI 7.9 per 10,000 8.3 per 10,000). Most (77percent) of the HIV-positive adults were men, most (85.1percent) of the detected HIV-positive men were reported as having sex with men (MSM), and most of the HIV-positive women reported having had sex with MSM. The average period between HIV infection and detection was estimated to be 2.1 years (IQR = 1.7 2.2 years). We estimated that, for the year 2005, 79.6percent (IQR 77.3 81.4percent) of the HIV-positive persons were detected.