"The epidemic seems to be slowing down," said Dr. Paul De Lay, director of evaluation for UNAIDS, also known as the Joint United Nations Program on HIV/AIDS. "The incidence is increasing, but not at the past rate."

The total number of HIV cases reached an estimated 38.6 million last year, according to the report. About 4.1 million people became infected with the virus in 2005, and 2.8 million died. Those numbers were lower than comparable figures for 2004, but UNAIDS attributed the difference to more accurate reporting rather than a decline in rates.

One demographic area in which treatment has failed is pregnant women, according to the report. Mother-to-child transmission of HIV can be blocked with a relatively cheap drug regimen, and UNAIDS had hoped to reach 80% of all HIV-positive pregnant women with the 3-by- 5 program.