HIV/AIDS does not bring the fear of an epidemic that it did in the last century. Most countries have begun to effectively cope with it and, in most countries, the growth rate of the virus is negative. One area of the world where the growth rate is surprisingly still positive is Eastern Europe and Central Asia, which includes parts of Russia. In some cities of this area, the incidence of HIV/AIDS has increased by 700% in only four years.
The drug needle is probably the most common method of transmission; one-quarter of the world's needle users are in this area. Worse, the age of needle users is getting lower; the average user starts at 16. The stigma and resulting discrimination against users does not help things at all.
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