Update: acquired immunodeficiency syndrome--United States, 1981-1990.

In 1981, 189 cases of acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS), a newly recognized condition, were reported to CDC from 15 states and the District of Columbia; 76% of cases were reported from New York and California. Ninety-seven percent of cases reported were among men, 79% of whom reported being homosexual/bisexual (i.e., having had sex with other men); no cases were reported among children. In contrast, in 1990, more than 43,000 cases were reported, representing all states, the District of Columbia, and the U.S. territories; nearly two-thirds were reported from outside New York and California; more than 11% of adolescent and adult cases were in women; and nearly 800 cases were in children less than 13 years of age. These differences between 1981 and 1990 highlight the dramatic growth and increasing complexity of the AIDS epidemic. This report summarizes trends in the epidemiology of AIDS cases from 1981 through 1990 in the United States and updates AIDS cases in 1990.