Summary

This definitive textbook covers all aspects of HIV/AIDS in southern Africa, from basic science to medicine, sociology, economics and politics. It has been written by a highly-respected team of southern African HIV experts and provides a thoroughly researched account of the epidemic in the region. The book comprises eight sections, the first of which covers the numbers behind the epidemic, both as evolution and in their current state. This is followed by sections on the science of the virus, including its structure, diagnosis and spread. HIV risk factors and prevention strategies, focal population groups and the impact of AIDS in all aspects of South African life are discussed in the following four sections. The final sections examine the treatment of HIV and AIDS, the politics of AIDS, mathematical modelling and a discussion on the future of AIDS in South Africa.