{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,5,12]],"date-time":"2026-05-12T22:11:10Z","timestamp":1778623870072,"version":"3.51.4"},"reference-count":65,"publisher":"The Royal Society","issue":"1411","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2001,7,29]],"date-time":"2001-07-29T00:00:00Z","timestamp":996364800000},"content-version":"tdm","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/royalsociety.org\/journals\/ethics-policies\/data-sharing-mining\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Phil. Trans. R. Soc. Lond. B"],"published-print":{"date-parts":[[2001,7,29]]},"abstract":"<jats:p>We review the epidemiology of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) in South Africa where the prevalence of HIV infection is among the highest in the world. The epidemic reached South Africa relatively recently but the prevalence of infection has increased rapidly and there are significant differences among provinces. Although few 15\u2013year\u2013old people are infected the prevalence increases rapidly with age thereafter, especially among women. The prevalence of herpes simplex virus type 2 exceeds that of HIV and curable sexually transmitted infections are common. \u2018Circular migration\u2019 may help to explain the high rates and rapid spread of HIV in the region. The incidence of tuberculosis has increased dramatically as a result of the HIV epidemic. Antiretroviral therapy for the prevention of vertical transmission has been shown to be effective in local conditions but transmission through breast\u2013feeding remains problematical. While some epidemiological models have been developed, much more needs to be done in this regard in order to plan, coordinate and evaluate an effective response to the epidemic. We conclude by discussing some of the research that is needed and steps that could be taken to reduce the continued spread of the infection.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.1098\/rstb.2001.0896","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2002,7,26]],"date-time":"2002-07-26T19:55:43Z","timestamp":1027713343000},"page":"1077-1086","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":26,"title":["The epidemiology of human immunodeficiency virus in South Africa"],"prefix":"10.1098","volume":"356","author":[{"given":"Brian G.","family":"Williams","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"World Health Organization, 20 Avenue Appia, Geneva 27, CH-1211, Switzerland"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Eleanor","family":"Gouws","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"World Health Organization, 20 Avenue Appia, Geneva 27, CH-1211, Switzerland"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]}],"member":"175","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2001,7,29]]},"reference":[{"key":"p_1","unstructured":"Abdool Karim S S 1997 South Africa country pro\u00a2le: HIV and tuberculosis he Lancet 349 1542^1543"},{"key":"p_2","unstructured":"Abdool Karim Q & Abdool Karim S S 1999 Epidemiology of HIV infection in South Africa AIDS 13 S4^S7"},{"key":"p_3","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Auvert B Ballard R Campbell C Carae l M Carton M Gouws E MacPhail C Taljaard D Van Dam J & Williams B 2001 High prevalence of HIV infection among youth in a South African town is associated with HSV-2 infection and sexual behaviour AIDS 15 885^898","DOI":"10.1097\/00002030-200105040-00009"},{"key":"p_4","unstructured":"Barings 2000 Economic impact of AIDS in South Africa: a dark cloud on the horizon Report commissioned by ING Barings and in the public domain"},{"key":"p_5","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Bobat R Moodley D Coutsoudis A Coovadia H M & Gouws E 1998 The early natural history of vertically transmitted HIV-1 infection in African children from Durban South Africa Annls rop. 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