In the monitoring and surveillance system of HIV/AIDS in the CR since the end of 1985 till June 30 1999 a total of 411 cases of HIV infection were registered. 124 infected patients suffered from fully grown AIDS; 80 AIDS patients have died. The predominant transmission of HIV is by sexual intercourse (81% registered infections). Homosexual intercourse was the cause of more than 54% of all infections. Heterosexually transmitted infections have a rising trend and account for 27% of all infections. Also the number of infections acquired during parenteral drug use is increasing (more than 1% of all infected patients). So far only one case of vertical HIV transmission was recorded from an infected mother to the neonate (from 26 children of HI V infected mothers). Two nosocomial infections (one adult, one child) were contracted in health facilities abroad. A total of 30 subjects were infected after administration of contaminated blood or blood preparations. Since the introduction of mandatory testing all donated blood in 1987 no case of post-transfusion infection was recorded. All testing of HIV antibodies with the exception of blood donors in the CR is voluntary with informed consent of the tested subject.

        Key words: HIV infection - AIDS disease - epidemiology of HIV/AIDS - monitoring of HIV/ AIDS in the CR.