OBJECTIVETo compare follow-up and administration of HIV-infected local Chinese and Burmese in Dehong prefecture of Yunnan province, for scientific development of prevention and control measures.

METHODS14 270 HIV-infected local Chinese and 5 436 HIV-infected Burmese reported from 1989 to December 31, 2013 in Dehong prefecture were recruited as the subjects of study, comparing the differences of follow-up and management, CD4⁺ T lymphocyte count tests and antiretroviral therapy (ART) between the two groups.

RESULTSThe proportion of HIV-infected Burmese identified in Dehong prefecture was 27.6% (5 436/19 706) during 1989-2013. The number had been growing rapidly from 17.1% in 1989-2003, 12.4% in 2004 and 14.7% in 2005 to over 51.4% in 2012, hitting 59.4% in 2013 (trends χ² = 1 732.84, P < 0.000 1). The proportion of HIV-infected Burmese among case reports of various characteristics kept rising over the years. By the end of 2013, 8 095 HIV-infected local Dehong residents and 5 326 HIV-infected Burmese were still alive. 95.8% of them were under follow-up, 88.5% having CD4⁺ T lymphocyte count tests, and 78.3% under ART. Among the HIV-infected B urmese, only 19.2% of them were under follow-up, 13.0% having CD4⁺ T lymphocyte count tests, and 6.1% under ART, significantly lower than the local Dehong residents (P < 0.000 1).

CONCLUSIONThe proportion of follow-up and administration, CD4⁺ T lymphocyte count tests, and ART of HIV-infected Burmese was low in Dehong prefecture, Yunnan province, which called for more effective follow-up and administration measures.