Latin America HIV & AIDS Statistics

In this page Latin America refers to the following countries: Argentina, Belize, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Guyana, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Suriname and Uruguay. UNAIDS 2010 data was unavailable for French Guiana and Venezuela.¹

back to top HIV & AIDS statistics

It is estimated that among 18 reporting countries in the Latin American region (not including Mexico), there were approximately 1.4 million people living with HIV and AIDS at the end of 2009.² Of these, an estimated 92,000 were newly infected during 2009 and an estimated 58,000 people died of AIDS.

In Mexico, an estimated 220,000 people were living with HIV in 2009.³ During this year, it is estimated that between 8,800 and 21,000 people were newly infected with HIV and that between 9,800 and 15,000 people died of AIDS.

Adult HIV prevalence (the proportion of the adult (15-49) population who are living with HIV) is now at least 1% in Belize, Guyana, and Suriname.⁴ However, in most countries HIV is not generalised but is highly concentrated in populations at particular risk. Overall, the average adult HIV prevalence across central and south America is estimated at 0.5%.

back to top Transmission routes

Unsafe sex among men who have sex with men (MSM) is common across the whole region. HIV prevalence ranges between 9% and 20% among men who have sex with men in at least 12 capital cities across central and south America.⁵ However, some countries have seen a significant decline in HIV prevalence among MSM in recent years. For example, in the capital city of El Salvador HIV prevalence among MSM had been as high as 17.8% in 2007 but declined by almost half to 9.8% in 2009.^{6 7} HIV prevalence in other capital cities such as Santiago, Chile and Georgetown, Guyana is still very high among MSM at 20.3% and 19.4%, respectively.⁸ Condom use among MSM varies significantly across central and south America; from 36% in Nicaragua and 47% in Uruguay to 86% in Panama and 89% in Suriname.⁹

It is estimated that approximately 1 in 5 men who have sex with men in central America also have sex with women.¹⁰ A study of 624 MSM in the capital city of El Salvador found that 49.6% had had sex with a woman at least once and that 34.1% had had sex with a woman in the last year.¹¹ Condom use among these MSM was also low with less than half reporting condom use at last sex with a woman.

In recent years, prevention efforts have specifically targeted female sex workers and in 2009 reports of condom use were high among this group (more than 80%) throughout many central and south American countries.¹² Whilst 2009 data is widely unavailable for male sex workers, five countries did report condom use ranging between 45% in Mexico and 91% in Guatemala.¹³

The transmission of HIV through the sharing of drug injecting equipment is still a feature of the epidemic in Latin America. There are an estimated 2 million injecting drug users (IDUs) in central and south America and more than a quarter may be infected with HIV.¹⁴ Nevertheless, harm reduction is severely limited. Only 5 Latin American countries provide needle exchanges and among these, the number of clean needles and syringes distributed per IDU, per year is far below the recommended coverage level.¹⁵

back to top Provision of antiretrovirals

It is estimated that on average, across low and middle income countries in Latin America, an average of 51% of people requiring antiretroviral treatment are receiving it.¹⁶ This is higher than the average treatment coverage (36%) found across low and middle income countries in other regions.

Based on the new treatment guidelines released in 2010, Guyana (with >95% treatment coverage) is the only country in the Latin American region to have achieved universal access (at least 80% treatment coverage) to antiretroviral treatment.¹⁷ Countries that have yet to achieve universal access, but have delivered antiretroviral treatment to half or more of people that require it, are Argentina (70%), Brazil (50%-89%), Chile (63%), Costa Rica (68%), Mexico (54%), El Salvador (53%) and Suriname (53%).

Whilst many countries have increased access to HIV treatment, large disparities exist throughout the region. On average, antiretroviral treatment is more accessible in south America than in central America. However, access to treatment is most limited in two south American countries, Bolivia and Colombia, with only 19% and 17% of individuals, respectively, in need of HIV treatment receiving it.¹⁸

AVERT.org features further discussion of treatment and other issues connected with HIV & AIDS in Latin America.

back to top Estimated HIV and AIDS prevalence and deaths due to AIDS, end 2009

Notes

It should be noted that the above figures are estimates and are made with a large degree of uncertainty. For example, the number of people living with HIV in Mexico is estimated as being between 180,000 and 280,000, and the figure for Peru lies in the range 58,000 to 100,000.

• Back to top
• Sign up to our Newsletter
• Donate
• 

Sources back to top

• UNAIDS 2010 Report on the global AIDS epidemic
• UNAIDS 2008 Report on the global AIDS epidemic - 2008

References back to top

1. UNAIDS (2010) 'UNAIDS report on the global AIDS epidemic'
2. UNAIDS (2010) 'UNAIDS report on the global AIDS epidemic'
3. UNAIDS (2010) 'UNAIDS report on the global AIDS epidemic'
4. UNAIDS (2010) 'UNAIDS report on the global AIDS epidemic'
5. UNAIDS (2010) 'UNAIDS report on the global AIDS epidemic'
6. UNAIDS (2008) 'UNAIDS report on the global AIDS epidemic'
7. UNAIDS (2010) 'UNAIDS report on the global AIDS epidemic'
8. UNAIDS (2010) 'UNAIDS report on the global AIDS epidemic'
9. Galindo, C (2010) 'Are MSM in Guatemala practicing "safe sex"? Rapid assessment of condom use among MSM in Guatemala' International AIDS society, Abstract no. WEPE0336
10. UNAIDS (2010) 'UNAIDS report on the global AIDS epidemic'
11. Kim, E et.al (2010) 'Bridging behaviours among men who have sex with men in San Salvador, El Salvador' International AIDS society, Abstract no. CDC0442
12. UNAIDS (2010) 'UNAIDS report on the global AIDS epidemic'
13. UNAIDS (2010) 'UNAIDS report on the global AIDS epidemic'
14. UNAIDS (2010) 'UNAIDS report on the global AIDS epidemic'
15. IHRA (2010) 'Global State of Harm Reduction 2010'
16. WHO/UNAIDS/UNICEF (2010) 'Towards Universal Access: Scaling up priority HIV/AIDS interventions in the health sector'
17. WHO/UNAIDS/UNICEF (2010) 'Towards Universal Access: Scaling up priority HIV/AIDS interventions in the health sector'
18. WHO/UNAIDS/UNICEF (2010) 'Towards Universal Access: Scaling up priority HIV/AIDS interventions in the health sector'