Overview of HIV infection

Learning objective: To understand the current status of infection with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), including epidemiology, treatment, and recent advances. Data sources: Relevant articles and publications from the medical literature, including the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) 'Report on the global HIV/AIDS epidemic,' and information from recently held conferences. Conclusions: Now in its second decade, HIV infection has become a global pandemic, affecting communities throughout the world. Ninety percent of people with HIV live in developing countries. In these countries, HIV/AIDS has taken a heavy toll on economic, social, and family structures. It is responsible for a large proportion of adult deaths causing millions of children to be orphaned. The situation is different in the industrialized world, including the United States. Here, reports indicate that death and incidence rates as well as the development of opportunistic infections have been drastically reduced. These reductions are in part due to improved prevention efforts but mainly due to recent advances in the management of HIV infection, including the availability of new therapies.