Title:Epidemiology of HIV in Iran
Volume: 18
Issue: 4
Author(s): Zeinab Najafi, Leila Taj, Omid Dadras, Fatemeh Ghadimi, Banafsheh Moradmand and SeyedAhmad SeyedAlinaghi*
Affiliation:
- Iranian Research Center for HIV/AIDS, Iranian Institute for Reduction of High-Risk Behaviors, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran,Iran
Keywords:
Iran, HIV/AIDS epidemic, transmission, prevention, prophylactic programs, PWID.
Abstract: Iran has been one of the active countries fighting against HIV/AIDS in the Middle East
during the last decades. Moreover, there is a strong push to strengthen the national health management
system concerning HIV prevention and control. In Iran, HIV disease has its unique features,
from changes in modes of transmission to improvement in treatment and care programs, which can
make it a good case for closer scrutiny. The present review describes the HIV epidemic in Iran from
the first case diagnosed until prevention among different groups at risk and co-infections. Not only
we addressed the key populations and community-based attempts to overcome HIV-related issues in
clinics, but we also elaborated on the efforts and trends in society and the actual behaviors related to
HIV/AIDS. Being located in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region, given the countryspecific
characteristics, and despite all the national efforts along with other countries in this region,
Iran still needs to take extra measures to reduce HIV transmission, especially in health education.
Although Iran is one of the pioneers in implementing applicable and appropriate policies in the
MENA region, including harm reduction services to reduce HIV incidence, people with substance
use disorder continue to be the majority of those living with HIV in the country. Similar to other
countries in this region, the HIV prevention and control programs aim at 90-90-90 targets to eliminate
HIV infection and reduce the transmission, especially the mother-to-child transmission and
among other key populations.
