Epidemiological characteristics of AIDS patients receiving free antiretroviral treatment in Wenzhou, 2005-2013

Objective To understand the epidemiological characteristics of AIDS patients receiving antiretroviral therapy in Wenzhou, Zhejiang province from 2005 to 2013. Methods The epidemiological data of the AIDS patients were collected by using National Free Antiretroviral Treatment Program database and analyzed with SPSS 17.0. Results Among the 974 AIDS patients 76.8% were males with the average age between 44.63914.63 years, and the patients in age group 35 years accounted for 27.6%. Up to 77.0% of the patients were local residents, but the patients from other places increased during 2009-2013. The data also showed that the major transmission route was heterosexual contact (70.3%), but the homosexual transmission increased during 2005-2013. Clinical samples were mainly from medical institutions (63.2%). The average baseline CD4 T cell count before treatment was (172.16110.36)/l. Totally 20.1% of the patients had the CD4 T cell count less than 50/l and 54.7% had the CD4 T cell count less than 200/l. During 2010-2013,the patients in clinical phase Ⅰ increased while the patients in clinical phase Ⅳ declined year by year. Conclusion The AIDS patients in Wenzhou still receive late antiretroviral therapy, but improvement has been made. It is necessary to take measures to detect AIDS patients early and strengthen the AIDS prevention and control in floating population and men who have sex with men.