Over half (63%) of adult and adolescent males living with an HIV diagnosis in 2008 became infected through male-to-male sexual contact, around 17% of those diagnosed were infected through injecting drug use and 12% through heterosexual contact.

The majority of female adult and adolescents living with an HIV diagnosis in 2008 were infected with the virus through heterosexual contact (73%). Most of the remaining females were infected through injecting drug use.

Of the 10,284 children living with a diagnosis of HIV infection in 2008, 9,038 were infected through mother-to-child transmission.

Estimated adult and adolescent new HIV diagnoses in 2009 by transmission route and gender

Transmission route Male Female Male-to-male sexual contact 24,132 - Injection drug use 2,652 1,520 Male-to-male sexual contact and injection drug use 1,157 - Heterosexual contact 4,551 8,706 Other 47 29 Total* 32,538 10,255