AIDS INFECTION RATE BY POPULATION GROUP

In a Nov. 30 report, the federal Centers for Disease Control provided the most detailed estimate to date of the number of Americans infected with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) which causes AIDS and related conditions.

The overall estimate--that between 945,000 and 1,400,000 Americans are infected--differed little from earlier studies. But in a little-noticed table, the report broke new ground by specifying the magnitude of AIDS virus infections in specific population groups, including homosexuals, intravenous drug users and heterosexuals without known risk factors for contracting the virus.

Here are CDC’s current estimates of the number of AIDS virus infected individuals in specific population groups.

ESTIMATED APPROXIMATE POPULATION SIZE % INFECTED Men exclusively homosexual 2,500,000 20-25% throughout life Bisexual men and those with infrequent 2,500,000- 5% homosexual contact 750,000 Regular (at least weekly) intravenous 900,000 25% drug users Occasional intravenous drug use 200,000 5% Persons with Hemophilia A 12,400 70% Persons with Hemophilia B 3,100 35% Heterosexual men and women without 142,000,000 0.021% specific identified risks Other groups, including heterosexual partners of persons at high risk, heterosexuals born in Haiti and Central Africa, and blood transfusion recipients TOTAL 240,000,000 0.39-0.58%

TOTAL POPULATION INFECTED Men exclusively homosexual 500,000- throughout life 625,000 Bisexual men and those with infrequent 125,000- homosexual contact 375,000 Regular (at least weekly) intravenous 225,000 drug users Occasional intravenous drug use 10,000 Persons with Hemophilia A 8,700 Persons with Hemophilia B 1,100 Heterosexual men and women without 30,000 specific identified risks Other groups, including heterosexual 45,000- partners of persons at high risk, 127,000 heterosexuals born in Haiti and Central Africa, and blood transfusion recipients TOTAL 945,000- 1,400,000