Eurosurveillance: HIV/AIDS in Europe: trends and EU wide priorities

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HIV/AIDS in Europe: trends and EU wide priorities

There are an estimated 740 000 people living with HIV or AIDS in western and central Europe today, and 1.7 million in the neighbouring countries of eastern Europe and Central Asia [1]. The proportion of undiagnosed HIV infections is estimated to be as high as 30% in the European Union (EU), and likely to be higher in neighbouring countries. People who have not yet been diagnosed are unaware that they are infected, and therefore cannot benefit from treatment and care, and may unknowingly transmit HIV to others.

In the EU, major advances in treatment have prolonged and improved the lives of infected people. However, these therapeutic advances have been paralleled by a decreasing emphasis on HIV prevention and a resurgence of high-risk sexual behaviours among gay men in major EU cities. According to the latest epidemiological data from the EuroHIV surveillance network (http://www.eurohiv.org), 23 620 new HIV diagnoses were reported in the EU in 2005. This figure excludes Italy and Spain, where no national HIV reporting systems are in place. The majority of cases are in males (65%), but the proportion in females is increasing, and 12% are in young people aged 15 to 24 years. The highest rates in new HIV diagnoses were reported in Estonia (467 cases per million) and Portugal (251 cases per million), and the lowest rates were reported in the Czech Republic (9 cases per million) and Slovakia (4 cases per million).In western European countries, many HIV infections have been diagnosed in immigrants from countries with generalised HIV epidemics. These people represent an important group, with unique challenges for HIV prevention and care services. There is a need for specific services for immigrant communities with prevention activities tailored to their needs, and communication about immigrant health issues which does not add to existing stigma.

The HIV situation in the EU is increasingly influenced by international travel and migration, which underlines the need for a global and European-wide approach to HIV prevention and control.