We are in the pleasant and modern surroundings of the National Kyushu Medical Centre in Momochi to talk to Dr Masahiro Yamamoto about HIV/AIDS in Fukuoka.

Dr Yamamoto is the Director of the (Immunological) Infectious Disease Department and the N.K.M.C. is the

There are currently around 100 people in Fukuoka City known to be living with HIV or AIDS although t
Dr Masahiro Yamamoto

headquarters of the "Kyushu Block" for HIV/AIDS and one of 3 hospitals in the city (the others are Kyushu and Fukuoka University Hospitals) that treats HIV/AIDS patients.

"There are currently around 100 people in Fukuoka City known to be living with HIV or AIDS" explains Dr Yamamoto "although the real figure is probably 4 or 5 times higher. (70 of the 100 are HIV positive, a further 30 have full blown AIDS, Fukuoka`s population is about 1.3 million). About 50% are heterosexual in Japan, currently there is a particular problem amongst gay men."

HIV transmission in Japan is almost exclusively through sexual contact. Men made up around 78% of new HIV cases and 75% of AIDS patients in 2002, both up from the previous year. (Intravenous drug abuse and mother-to-child infection accounted for less than 1% of cases).

People with HIV/AIDS qualify as "disabled" in Japan, a status that brings various benefits.

We ask about treatment. "There are about 20 drugs - almost the same ones as are used in the US and Europe. Treatment is covered by national insurance. With the right treatment people can live with HIV for many years".

And the government`s attitude, in the wake of the "tainted blood products" scandal in the mid 1990s in which 1800 hemophiliacs were infected of whom around 500 have since died?

"Almost too good" says Yamamoto "it isn`t an issue." After a dramatic increase of 34% in the rate of infection in 2001-2, the World Health Organisation has suggested that Japan may face a new wave of infections in coming years.

This is based in part on the fact that, almost alone amongst developed countries, a high proportion of new cases of those developing full blown AIDS had not been previously identified as HIV positive. This suggests that the testing regime in Japan is not rigorous enough.

With HIV/AIDS treatment costing an estimated ¥11,200,000,000 ($100 million) in 2000, and government projections putting HIV cases at 22,000 by the end of 2006, with a further 5000 cases of AIDS, both prevention and education will become increasingly important.



If you are concerned about your HIV status and wish to be tested, or merely wish to discuss a concern, Dr Yamamoto has kindly agreed to accept emails in English on inb@qmed.hosp.go.jp. [Note that testing is only free in local health centres, so check your health insurance will cover it before arranging a consultation in any hospital] ®