HUMAN-IMMUNODEFICIENCY-VIRUS AND AIDS IN UGANDA

HIV-1 infection, initially described as ''slim disease'', was first re cognised in Uganda in 1982, and is now a predominant health problem. A pproximately 1.5 million Ugandans are now infected, largely through be heterosexual transmission. In many areas half of adult deaths are now caused by HIV. Seroprevalence rates in urban antenatal clinics have b een dropping in the last several years, as have rates in young adults in two rural community cohorts where the epidemic is long established. Tuberculosis eases and admissions have increased dramatically. Among the clinical manifestations of HIV in Uganda, epidemic Kaposi sarcoma cryptococcal meningitis, suspected toxoplasmosis and cardiomyopathy, a s well as atypical or extrapulmonary tuberculosis are seen with increa sing frequency. Mother to child transmission of HIV accounts for about 10 % of total cases, with a transmission rate of 26% in two studies. Epidemiological and clinical research programmes are well developed in Uganda, especially in areas of tuberculosis, maternal and paediatric HIV infection and sexually transmitted infections. Societal openness, a multisectoral approach by the government and innovative programmes, including large-scale HIV testing and counselling and the pioneering w ork of The AIDS Support Organization (TASO), distinguish the Ugandan r esponse to the epidemic.