{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2025,10,30]],"date-time":"2025-10-30T22:19:50Z","timestamp":1761862790093,"version":"build-2065373602"},"reference-count":33,"publisher":"BMJ","issue":"9","content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["J Epidemiol Community Health"],"published-print":{"date-parts":[[1998,9]]},"abstract":"<jats:p>STUDY OBJECTIVE: The objectives of this review were to: (1) assess the nature and comprehensiveness of information regarding HIV\/AIDS in Pakistan; (2) to evaluate the extent of HIV\/AIDS in Pakistan by epidemiological estimates; (3) to indicate the implications of the results for health policy in Pakistan and other regions at a similar stage in the epidemic. DESIGN: A structured review of published, unpublished, and government literature was undertaken to collate all available information and present a descriptive epidemiological profile of HIV\/AIDS in the country. SETTING: Pakistan, a developing country in the South Asian region. National and regional information and analysis are presented in so far as the data allowed. Sample sizes varied from 1.35 million people screened at the national level to smaller studies of fewer than 100 screened. RESULTS: Data pertaining to HIV\/AIDS in Pakistan showed the best national estimates of HIV prevalence as 64 per 100,000 (0.064%). Within patients with sexually transmitted diseases the seroprevalence was as high as 6100 per 100,000 (6.1%); in men with extramarital contacts, 5400 per 100,000 (5.4%) and was as low as zero in some studied populations as well. The average age of onset was reported as 30 years. It is estimated that if all incident cases of AIDS were to die, there would be at least 5000 deaths annually attributable to HIV\/AIDS. CONCLUSION: Coupled with the extremely low awareness of HIV\/AIDS in Pakistan, as well as growing number of cases, the AIDS epidemic is poised to take a hold in Pakistan. The presence of additional risk factors such as unscreened blood, and low condom use rates make the situation fertile for AIDS to become a major public health issue. Pakistan's health policy must be proactive in tackling this emerging health threat.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.1136\/jech.52.9.579","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2009,1,5]],"date-time":"2009-01-05T14:15:53Z","timestamp":1231164953000},"page":"579-585","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":17,"title":["HIV\/AIDS in Pakistan: the context and magnitude of an emerging threat."],"prefix":"10.1136","volume":"52","author":[{"given":"A A","family":"Hyder","sequence":"first","affiliation":[],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"O A","family":"Khan","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]}],"member":"239","published-online":{"date-parts":[[1998,9,1]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","first-page":"728","article-title":"Retroviruses and the human immunodeficiency syndrome","volume-title":"geographical medicine","author":"Colebrunders, R.; Quinn, T.C.","year":"1990","unstructured":"Colebrunders R, Quinn TC. Retroviruses and the human immunodeficiency syndrome. In: Mahmoud AAF, Warren KS, eds. Tropical and geographical medicine. New York: McGraw-Hill, 1990:728\u2013750."},{"key":"ref_2","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"21","DOI":"10.2307\/2137685","article-title":"Global trends in AIDS mortality","volume":"22","author":"Bongaarts, J.","year":"1996","unstructured":"Bongaarts J. Global trends in AIDS mortality. Population and Development Review 1996;22:21\u201345.","journal-title":"Population and Development Review"},{"key":"ref_3","article-title":"Sexual Behavior and AIDS in the developing world","author":"Cleland, J.; Ferry, B.","year":"1995","unstructured":"Cleland J, Ferry B. Sexual Behavior and AIDS in the developing world. Geneva: World Health Organization, 1995."},{"year":"1995","author":"Pakistan National Institute of Health. National AIDS Control Program Report","key":"ref_4","unstructured":"Pakistan National Institute of Health. National AIDS Control Program Report. Islamabad: Government of Pakistan, 1995."},{"key":"ref_5","first-page":"64","article-title":"The end of AIDS?","author":"Leland, J.","year":"1996","unstructured":"Leland J. The end of AIDS? Newsweek 1996 (Dec 2):64\u201373.","journal-title":"Newsweek"},{"key":"ref_6","article-title":"The socio-economic impact of AIDS: issues and options","author":"Loewenson, R.; Kekhoven, R.","year":"1.","unstructured":"Loewenson R, Kekhoven R. The socio-economic impact of AIDS: issues and options. Harare: SAfAIDS Occasional Papers Series 1996:1."},{"key":"ref_7","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"149","DOI":"10.1089\/aid.1988.4.149","article-title":"Humanimmunodeficiency virus-associated disorders in Pakistan","volume":"4","author":"Khanani, R.M.; Hafeez, A.; Rab, S.M.","year":"1988","unstructured":"Khanani RM, Hafeez A, Rab SM, et al. Humanimmunodeficiency virus-associated disorders in Pakistan. AIDS Res Hum Retroviruses 1988;4:149\u201354.","journal-title":"AIDS Res Hum Retroviruses"},{"key":"ref_8","first-page":"221","article-title":"A study of HIV-antibody sera of blood donors and people at risk","volume":"38","author":"Mujeeb, S.A.; Hashmi, M.R.A.","year":"1988","unstructured":"Mujeeb SA, Hashmi MRA. A study of HIV-antibody sera of blood donors and people at risk. Journal of the Pakistan Medical Association 1988;38:221\u20132.","journal-title":"Journal of the Pakistan Medical Association"},{"key":"ref_9","article-title":"World population data","author":"Haub, C.","year":"1996","unstructured":"Haub C, Yanagishita M, eds. World population data. Washington DC: Population Reference Bureau, 1996."},{"key":"ref_10","first-page":"160","article-title":"Understanding the context of HIV\/AIDS infection in Pakistan","volume":"8","author":"Ali, S.; Khanani, R.; Tariq, W.U.","year":"1995","unstructured":"Ali S, Khanani R, Tariq WU, et al. Understanding the context of HIV\/AIDS infection in Pakistan. Venereology 1995;8: 160\u20133.","journal-title":"Venereology"},{"key":"ref_11","article-title":"Interventions aimed at behavior modification of commercial sex workers in Pakistan","author":"Ali, S.; Khanani, R.","year":"1996","unstructured":"Ali S, Khanani R. Interventions aimed at behavior modification of commercial sex workers in Pakistan. Karachi: Pakistan AIDS Prevention Society, 1996."},{"key":"ref_12","first-page":"2","article-title":"Prevalence and pattern of HIV infection in Karachi","volume":"43","author":"Mujeeb, S.A.; Hafeez, A.","year":"1993","unstructured":"Mujeeb SA, Hafeez A. Prevalence and pattern of HIV infection in Karachi. Journal of the Pakistan Medical Association 1993;43:2\u20134.","journal-title":"Journal of the Pakistan Medical Association"},{"key":"ref_13","first-page":"255","article-title":"Seroprevalence of HIV: six years\u2019 experience at Sheikh Zayed Hospital, Lahore","volume":"46","author":"Iqbal, J.; Rehan, N.","year":"1996","unstructured":"Iqbal J, Rehan N. Seroprevalence of HIV: six years\u2019 experience at Sheikh Zayed Hospital, Lahore. Journal of the Pakistan Medical Association 1996;46:255\u2013258.","journal-title":"Journal of the Pakistan Medical Association"},{"key":"ref_14","series-title":"Karachi, Pakistan. In: Proceedings of the Conference on HIV Surveillance. Karachi: Karachi HIV Working Group","article-title":"HIV-1 antibody seroprevalence in commercial sex workers","author":"Baqi, S.; Nabi, N.; Siddiqi, D.","year":"1995","unstructured":"Baqi S, Nabi N, Siddiqi D, et al. HIV-1 antibody seroprevalence in commercial sex workers in Karachi, Pakistan. In: Proceedings of the Conference on HIV Surveillance. Karachi: Karachi HIV Working Group, 1995."},{"key":"ref_15","first-page":"8","article-title":"A view of HIV-1 infection in Karachi","volume":"44","author":"Kayani, N.; Sheikh, A.; Khan, A.","year":"1994","unstructured":"Kayani N, Sheikh A, Khan A, et al. A view of HIV-1 infection in Karachi. Journal of the Pakistan Medical Association 1994;44:8\u201311.","journal-title":"Journal of the Pakistan Medical Association"},{"key":"ref_16","first-page":"117","article-title":"Serosurveillance of HIV infection","volume":"4","author":"Raziq, F.; Alam, N.; Ali, I.","year":"1993","unstructured":"Raziq F, Alam N, Ali I. Serosurveillance of HIV infection. Pakistan Journal of Pathology 1993;4:117\u201319.","journal-title":"Pakistan Journal of Pathology"},{"key":"ref_17","first-page":"111","article-title":"Epidemiology of HIV infection in northern Pakistan","volume":"4","author":"Tariq, W.; Malik, I.A.; Hassan, Z.U.","year":"1993","unstructured":"Tariq W, Malik IA, Hassan ZU. Epidemiology of HIV infection in northern Pakistan. Pakistan Journal of Pathology 1993;4:111\u201315.","journal-title":"Pakistan Journal of Pathology"},{"year":"1992","author":"National Institute of Health. National AIDS Control Program Report","key":"ref_18","unstructured":"National Institute of Health. National AIDS Control Program Report. Islamabad: Government of Pakistan, 1992."},{"key":"ref_19","article-title":"AIDS and STDs: priorities for family planning programs","author":"International, Population Action","year":"1995","unstructured":"Population Action International. AIDS and STDs: priorities for family planning programs. Washington DC: Population Action International, 1995."},{"key":"ref_20","first-page":"15","article-title":"Katchi abadis: a student\u2019s viewpoint","volume":"11","author":"Hyder, A.A.","year":"1987","unstructured":"Hyder AA. Katchi abadis: a student\u2019s viewpoint. National Health 1987;11:15\u201318.","journal-title":"National Health"},{"key":"ref_21","first-page":"274","article-title":"HIV antibodies testing in Pakistan","volume":"37","author":"Damani, N.N.","year":"1987","unstructured":"Damani NN. HIV antibodies testing in Pakistan. Journal of the Pakistan Medical Association 1987;37:274.","journal-title":"Journal of the Pakistan Medical Association"},{"key":"ref_22","first-page":"82","article-title":"AIDS and HIV associated disorders in Karachi","volume":"40","author":"Khanani, R.M.; Hafeez, A.; Rab, S.M.","year":"1987","unstructured":"Khanani RM, Hafeez A, Rab SM, et al. AIDS and HIV associated disorders in Karachi. Journl of the Pakistan Medical Association 1987;40:82\u20135.","journal-title":"Journl of the Pakistan Medical Association"},{"key":"ref_23","first-page":"1","article-title":"Pakistan launches media blitz on AIDS","volume-title":"Global AIDS News","volume":"2","author":"Lynn, W.","year":"1994","unstructured":"Lynn W. Pakistan launches media blitz on AIDS. Global AIDS News 1994;2:1\u20132."},{"key":"ref_24","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"82","DOI":"10.26719\/1996.2.1.82","article-title":"HIV\/AIDS surveillance in the Eastern Mediterranean Region","volume":"2","author":"Shrestha, P.N.","year":"1996","unstructured":"Shrestha PN. HIV\/AIDS surveillance in the Eastern Mediterranean Region. Eastern Mediterranean Health Journal 1996;2:82\u20139.","journal-title":"Eastern Mediterranean Health Journal"},{"key":"ref_25","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1709","DOI":"10.2105\/AJPH.86.12.1709","article-title":"The cost-eVectiveness of HIV prevention targeting: how much more bang for the buck?","volume":"86","author":"Kahn, J.G.","year":"1996","unstructured":"Kahn JG. The cost-eVectiveness of HIV prevention targeting: how much more bang for the buck? Am J Public Health 1996;86:1709\u201312.","journal-title":"Am J Public Health"},{"key":"ref_26","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"30","DOI":"10.1093\/heapol\/11.1.30","article-title":"Policy making in Pakistan\u2019s population programme","volume":"11","author":"Khan, A.","year":"1996","unstructured":"Khan A. Policy making in Pakistan\u2019s population programme. Health Policy and Planning 1996;11:30\u201351.","journal-title":"Health Policy and Planning"},{"key":"ref_27","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"97","DOI":"10.2190\/6L9C-G7FR-ANMV-PXQG","article-title":"Information, education and communication needs in family planning: the case of Pakistan","volume":"13","author":"Ceranada, G.P.; Rob, A.K.","year":"1993","unstructured":"Ceranada GP, Rob AK. Information, education and communication needs in family planning: the case of Pakistan. International Quarterly of Community Health Education 1993;13:97\u2013106.","journal-title":"International Quarterly of Community Health Education"},{"key":"ref_28","first-page":"8","article-title":"Pakistani prospects","volume":"20","author":"Aslam, A.","year":"1993","unstructured":"Aslam A. Pakistani prospects. Populi 1993;20:8\u201310.","journal-title":"Populi"},{"key":"ref_29","first-page":"1","article-title":"Islamic parameters of reproductive health","author":"Abubakar, C.A.","year":"1994","unstructured":"Abubakar CA. Islamic parameters of reproductive health. In: Ramos-Jimenez P, eds. Cultural\/religious values and reproductive health rights: are there dilemmas? Philippines: Social Development Research Center, 1994:1\u20138.","journal-title":"Philippines: Social Development Research Center; Cultural\/religious values and reproductive health rights: are there dilemmas"},{"key":"ref_30","first-page":"84","article-title":"Screening for antibodies to HTLV-III\/LAV in our population: a word of caution","volume":"37","author":"Zafar, M.N.","year":"1987","unstructured":"Zafar MN. Screening for antibodies to HTLV-III\/LAV in our population: a word of caution. Journal of the Pakistan Medical Association 1987;37:84\u20135.","journal-title":"Journal of the Pakistan Medical Association"},{"key":"ref_31","series-title":"drug addicts in Karachi, Pakistan. In: Proceedings of the Conference on HIV Surveillance. Karachi: Karachi HIV Working Group","article-title":"HIV-1 antibody seroprevalence and associated risk factors","author":"Baqi, S.; Hassan, N.; Kayani, N.","year":"1995","unstructured":"Baqi S, Hassan N, Kayani N, et al. HIV-1 antibody seroprevalence and associated risk factors in drug addicts in Karachi, Pakistan. In: Proceedings of the Conference on HIV Surveillance. Karachi: Karachi HIV Working Group, 1995."},{"key":"ref_32","series-title":"Proceedings of the Conference on HIV Surveillance. Karachi: Karachi HIV Working Group","article-title":"Prevalence of STDs among long-distance truck drivers in Pakistan","author":"Ahmed, A.J.; Hassan, N.; Pasha, O.","year":"1995","unstructured":"Ahmed AJ, Hassan N, Pasha O, et al. Prevalence of STDs among long-distance truck drivers in Pakistan. In: Proceedings of the Conference on HIV Surveillance. Karachi: Karachi HIV Working Group, 1995."},{"key":"ref_33","article-title":"A knowledge attitude and practices survey of needle usage among general practitioners working in a periurban settlement near Karachi. In: 34 International Programs Center. Global HIV\/AIDS Surveillance Database","author":"Delawala, S.A.; Fakih, S.; Farooqui, M.","year":"1996","unstructured":"Delawala SA, Fakih S, Farooqui M. A knowledge attitude and practices survey of needle usage among general practitioners working in a periurban settlement near Karachi. In: 34 International Programs Center. Global HIV\/AIDS Surveillance Database. Washington DC: United States Census Bureau, 1996."}],"container-title":["Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health"],"original-title":[],"language":"en","link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/syndication.highwire.org\/content\/doi\/10.1136\/jech.52.9.579","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2025,10,3]],"date-time":"2025-10-03T14:52:08Z","timestamp":1759503128000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/jech.bmj.com\/lookup\/doi\/10.1136\/jech.52.9.579"}},"subtitle":[],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[1998,9]]},"references-count":33,"journal-issue":{"issue":"9","published-online":{"date-parts":[[1998,9,1]]},"published-print":{"date-parts":[[1998,9]]}},"alternative-id":["10.1136\/jech.52.9.579"],"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1136\/jech.52.9.579","relation":{},"ISSN":["0143-005X","1470-2738"],"issn-type":[{"type":"print","value":"0143-005X"},{"type":"electronic","value":"1470-2738"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[1998,9]]}}}