AIDS in Southern Africa
Africa is the region of the world most hard hit by the AIDS epidemic. Africa is estimated to have over 60% of all the AIDS infect population. While the infection rates vary from country to country within the Afircan continent, the southern region of Africa is hardest hit of all.
Infection rates in countries like, South Africa, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Swaziland and Lesotho are dramatically higher than other African countries. Infection rates are over 20% of the population.
Tuberculosis
One of the reasons AIDS has such a devestating effect in Africa is the deadly synergy between HIV and tuberculosis, another disease that has reached epidemic proportions in Africa. When infected with HIV, tuberculosis becomes a killer disease due to the imunosuppressive nature of AIDS.
Swaziland
In some countries, like Swaziland the rates of HIV/AIDS infection is so high that it alone is the leading cause of death. The infection rates are so high in Swaziland that existence of the country is danger.
