SSRC Sponsored Research

April 2008

While southeast Asia is a common geographic and political construct, now given political expression through the Association of Southeast Asian States [ASEAN], it is a remarkably diverse region, embracing almost every form of political system, religion and degree of wealth in the world. Not surprisingly, this diversity is reflected in the HIV/AIDS epidemic in southeast Asia, so that transmission via infected blood, both heterosexual and homosexual sex and sex work, as well as shared needles, are all important factors. The proportion of transmission due to each factor will of course vary: needles are a more important factor in Burma, Malaysia and Vietnam; the proportion of the overall infection amongst men who have sex with men is highest in Singapore [as it is in the other rich countries of East Asia]; Thailand and Cambodia have more generalized epidemics. Infection via blood transfusions is now very limited, although blood safety remains an issue in several countries.