In the third quarter of 2002, 5 HIV infections were reported, 3 of them are females and the other 2 are males; 2 of them are local residents. (Table 1) There was a decrease in the HIV reported cases, during this quarter, comparing with the 7 cases of the previous quarter.
Cumulatively, since 1986 up to September 2002, a total of 255 HIV infections were reported in Macao, being 67.8% diagnosed in temporary residents working in the entertainment industry; 21 of the patients under regular follow up have progressed to AIDS. The major route of transmission was sexual which constituted 78.4%, with predominant heterosexual transmission (69.4%) followed by the homosexual transmission (9%) and by the injecting drug use (5.1%).
| YEAR 2002 | YEAR 2001 | CUMULATIVE | ||||
| (JUL-SEP 2002) | (JAN-DEC) | (1986-SEP 2002) | ||||
| HIV | AIDS | HIV | AIDS | HIV | AIDS | |
| SEX | ||||||
| Male | 2 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 84 | 17 |
| Female | 3 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 170 | 4 |
| Unknown | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| ETHNICITY/RACE | ||||||
| Chinese | 2 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 29 | 11 |
| Non-Chinese | 2 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 212 | 10 |
| Unknown | 1 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 14 | 0 |
| Age | ||||||
| Adult | 5 | 0 | 12 | 0 | 248 | 20 |
| Child (age 13 or less) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 |
| Unknown | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0 |
| Route of Transmission | ||||||
| Heterosexual | 2 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 177 | 9 |
| Homosexual | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 23 | 4 |
| Injecting Drug User | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 13 | 3 |
| Blood Transfusion/Blood Products | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Perinatal | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Unknown | 3 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 40 | 4 |
| TOTAL | 5 | 0 | 12 | 0 | 255 | 21 |
Source : Public Health Laboratory, Department of Health, RAEM