The infection rate of HIV/AIDS in Nepal among the adult population is estimated to be below the 1 percent threshold which is considered "generalized and severe". However, the prevalence rate masks a concentrated epidemic among at-risk populations such as female sex workers (FSWs), injecting drug users (IDUs), men who have sex with men (MSM), and migrants. Cultural factors have also been shown to play a significant role in the spread of HIV and AIDS in Nepal. Since Nepal's first cases of HIV/AIDS were reported in 1988, the disease has primarily been transmitted by injecting drug use and unprotected sex. Available data indicate that there was a sharp increase in the number of new infections starting in 1996, coinciding with the outbreak of civil unrest. However, the incidence appears to be leveling off with recent evidence of reduced prevalence and lower overall numbers.
Read more about HIV/AIDS In Nepal: Prevalence, National Response, Non Government Organisations (NGOs) in Nepal, Further Reading
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