MANILA, Philippines?The Department of Health has monitored more cases of HIV-AIDS transmission through sex between men in recent years, prompting the DOH to undertake a nationwide survey to determine the extent of the problem.

In the past three years, cases of transmission of human immuno-deficiency virus (HIV) -- which causes the Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome or AIDS -- among men who have unprotected sex with other men have increased, said Dr. Eric Tayag, chief of the DOH?s National Epidemiology Center.

The surge has been marked in the past few months.

But Tayag stressed: ?It?s not about gays.?

The new survey generally intends to find out the prevalence of HIV/AIDS among groups who practice risky behavior such as those who use injected drugs and those who have unprotected sex with multiple partners.

But the survey also particularly targets the emerging category of heterosexual men who also have sex with homosexual men.

HIV is transmitted through sex, injected drugs use, infected blood transmission, infected needle prick injuries and pre-natal (mother to child) infection.

According to Tayag , confirmed HIV/AIDS cases since 1984, were mostly acquired through unprotected heterosexual sex.

?But suddenly in the last three years, the trend shifted. Now it?s from men who have sex with men,? said Tayag.

Tayag differentiated men having sex with men from openly homosexual men who are already relatively targeted by HIV/AIDS campaigns.

?The problem is they (men having sex with men or MSM) are a hidden population, they?re not open,? he said, adding that unlike gay men who are known to frequent certain hangouts, straight men who seek sex with other straight men connect through the Internet,? he said.

?We?ll test our hypothesis that this (MSM) is becoming a sexual norm,? Tayag said.

The three-month survey is already underway and results are expected to be in by November.

?We want to know the prevalence of (infection) among the risk groups. This survey will determine how we?ll do the intervention,? Tayag said.

As of July 2009, 432 HIV/AIDS cases have been reported for the year alone.

Total reported cases are at 4,021 since the DOH started its national registry in 1984. There have been 318 reported deaths from AIDS since 1984.

The DOH noted a surge in confirmed HIV-positive and AIDS cases in recent months.

In July, 70 new cases were reported. This is almost triple the average of 25 confirmed cases per month.

The highest number of reported cases was noted last May with 85 cases.

Tayag said cases could be expected to go up in the coming years because unsafe sex practices still continued, and at-risk persons have not been undergoing free tests in government hospitals for fear of stigma.

?What we failed to do in the last five years, we?re reaping now. It will stay for the next three years at least. That?s the sad story,? he said.

While there is no known cure yet for HIV/AIDS, the disease that destroys the immune systems in the body can be managed and treated with special antiretroviral medications and special care against infection.