Andhra Pradesh is sitting atop an AIDS epidemic with a high incidence of HIV cases. The state accounts for an estimated 10 per cent of all HIV/AIDS positive persons in India. 

Painting this alarming scenario at a media meet in Hyderabad, Principal Secretary, Health & Family Welfare Dr I V Subba Rao said, "While the national prevalence rate of HIV/AIDS is less than one per cent, the situation in parts of AP can be termed as a sub-national epidemic because it has recorded the highest prevalence of two per cent in the low-risk adult population represented by women attending antenatal clinics and 16.4 percent among the high-risk population represented by patients at STD clinics.

"This clearly indicates that the HIV epidemic has moved beyond high risk populations like sex workers, truckers and men who have sex with men (MSMs) and became a generalised epidemic in the state. Moreover, a staggering 92 per cent of infections are in the 15 to 49 age group, which is also the most economically productive segment of the population. This can have devastating effect on the state's economic development if it is not controlled."

The prevalence of HIV/AIDS varied across the state. In 18 out of 23 districts in the state, at least one per cent of women attending antenatal clinics tested positive in 2004.

Prakasam district reported the highest incidence of HIV with four per cent prevalence in urban sites, followed by Guntur and Karimnagar with 3.5 per cent and East Godavari with three per cent.

Among rural sites, Nellore topped with 2.5 per cent. It reported the same percentage in its urban sites.

The latest data for 2004 showed that 88 percent of the infections are contracted through the sexual route and less than two percent through blood transfusion and infected syringes. Other causes account for the remaining 10 percent cases.

The high prevalence of sex with non-regular partners is evident both among women and men � 19 percent in the case of men and seven percent among women as against the national average of 12 percent among men and two percent among women.

Condom usage is also only 25 percent as against the national average of 32 percent. STI (sexually transmitted infections) prevalence among both men and women is a high seven per cent.

Other factors that contribute to the risk are the vast highway network, strong traditional sexual networks, huge migrant population and high incidence of trafficking of women and girls.  

With the state now facing a generalised epidemic, the government's month-long Aasha (AIDS awareness and sustained holistic action) campaign begins on July 1, Dr Subba Rao, who is also president of AP State AIDS Control society, said.