Surveillance of AIDS and HIV infection: opportunities and challenges.

Surveillance for AIDS/HIV infection is essential for planning, implementing and evaluating AIDS control programs. Each of the different methods used, AIDS surveillance, surveillance for HIV infection and HIV seroprevalence, sero-incidence studies in selected populations, have advantages and disadvantages. A combination of these methods is generally needed to accurately monitor the HIV epidemic, and the methods used will depend on the objectives of the surveillance system. Surveillance data need to be adequately analyzed and made available to the public, public health planners, health care professionals and politicians. Most importantly, surveillance data need to be used for preventive action.