AIDS and HIV infection in Costa Rica – a country in transition
artículo original
Fecha
1988Autor
Herrera, Gisela
Mata Jiménez, Leonardo
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Costa Rica, located in the Central American
Isthmus about 10' north of the Equator, is
bordered by Nicaragua and the Caribbean
Sea in the north and east, Panama in the
east, and the Pacific Ocean in the south and
west. Twenty per cent of its 51 000 km2 is
arable; there is an estimated 2.7 million
inhabitants. The population, of predominantly
Spanish and Amerindian descent, is
relatively homogeneous and enjoys religious,
racial and political freedom. The death
penalty was abolished more than 100 years
ago, and the army in 1949. More than 90%
of the people are literate and free elections
are held every 4 years. Costa Rica is
regarded as the most stable and prestigious
democracy in Latin America.
In 1986, infant mortality was 17 per 1000
live births and life expectancy at birth averaged
73 years (77 for women). Poliomyelitis
and diphtheria have been eradicated since
1974. Social security is universal and free
medical services are provided to the whole
rural population. A network of modern hospitals
and clinics serves the whole territory,
but there is tolerance of private medicine.
Current health indicators place Costa Rica less developed countries (1). Costa Rica has
an increasing tourist trade and thousands of
people visit each year. Due to its proximity
to North America and to its high level of
education and consumerism, thousands of
Costa Ricans visit North America and
Europe each year.
Apparently, haemophiliacs were the first
to be infected in Costa Rica by the human
immunodeficiency virus (HIV). Coagulation
factors VIII and IX prepared in Spain,
France, Austria and the United States of
America have been imported since the
1970s. The first case of acquired immunodeficiency
syndrome (AIDS) in a haemophiliac
occurred in 1980 (2). Presumably,
some coagulation factors used in Costa Rica
were derived from contaminated blood collected
in Africa, Europe, Caribbean countries
and the United States. However, the main reservoir of HIV in
Costa Rica is homosexual and bisexual men
who have had sexual contact with infected
people while travelling abroad, or who have
had sexual contact with infected visitors,
probably as early as the late 1970s. The first
autochthonous case of AIDS in a homosexual
man was diagnosed in 1985; the first
men infected within the country were diagnosed
at INISA, University of Costa Rica,
in August-October 1985. As we learn more
about the epidemic, it seems likely that the
virus had been circulating among Costa
Rican homosexuals before 1980.
External link to the item
doi:10.1038/icb.1988.22
Artículo científico -- Universidad de Costa Rica. Instituto de Investigaciones en Salud, 1988