Over 14 million people are esiated to be
infected with the human immunodeficiency viruses (BIV), with
nearly three-fourths of the infected persons residing In developing
countries. One factor responsible for dissemination of
both HIV-1 and HIV-2 worldwide was the intense migration of
individuals, from rural to urban centers with subsequent
return migration and internationally due to civil wars, tourism,
busines purposes, and the drug trade. In sub-Saharan Africa,
between 1960 and 1980, urban centers with more than 500,000
inhabitants increased from 3 to 28, and more than 75 military
coups occurred in 30 countries. The result was a massive
migration of rural inhabitants to urban centers concomitant
with the spread of HIV-1 to large population centers. With the
associated demographic, economic, and social changes, an
epidemic of sexually smitted diseases and HIV-1 was
ignited. Migratory patterns were also responsible for the
spread of endemic HUIV-2 to neighboring West African countries
and eventually to Europe, the Americas, and India.
Although Southeast Asia was the last region in which HIV-1
was introduced, it has the greatest potential for rapid spread
due to population density and inherent risk behaviors. Thus,
the migration of poor, rural, and young sexually active individuals
to urban centers coupled with large international
movements of IIV-infected individuals played a prominent
role in the dissemination of 1HV globally. The economic
recession has aggravated the tranmiion of HIV by directly
increasing the population at risk through increased urban
migration, disruption of rural families and cultural values,
poverty, and prostitution and indirectly through a decrease in
health care provision. Consequently, social and economic
reform as well as sexual behavior education need to be intensified
if HIV transmission is to be controlled.