Pressemitteilung des Europäischen Zentrums für die Prävention und die Kontrolle von Krankheiten und der WHO, 26.11.2015 (engl. Originalfassung)
»With HIV infection diagnosed in over 142 000 people in 2014, the WHO European Region recorded the highest number of newly diagnosed infections in one year since the start of reporting in the 1980s. The most recent surveillance data released by the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) and the WHO Regional Office for Europe indicate that the growth of the HIV epidemic is driven by the eastern part of the Region, where the number of new diagnoses has more than doubled during the past decade. Heterosexual transmission is responsible for the increase in eastern Europe, and transmission through drug injection remains substantial. In the countries of the European Union and European Economic Area (EU/EEA), sex between men is the predominant mode of HIV transmission. Two in three new HIV infections are among native-born Europeans, while foreign-born individuals, including migrants, represent only one third of HIV diagnoses. […] “Since 2005, rates of new diagnoses have more than doubled in some EU/EEA countries and decreased by 25% in others. But the overall HIV epidemic persists largely unchanged”, points out ECDC Acting Director Dr Andrea Ammoni. “This means that the HIV response in the EU/EEA has not been effective enough to result in a noticeable decline over the last decade.”
Social exclusion places refugees and migrants at greater risk of HIV infection
During the last decade, the number of migrants diagnosed with HIV in Europe has declined sharply, and evidence shows that a significant proportion acquires HIV after arrival in Europe. “ […] When refugees and migrants are victim of social exclusion in receiving countries, they become more at risk of HIV infection, and this may lead them to engage in risk behaviours, with increased risk for infection. This risk is exacerbated by inadequate access to HIV services and fear of being stigmatized”, stresses Dr Jakab [WHO Regional Director for Europe]. […]
Sex between men main transmission mode in EU/EEA
Despite specific prevention programmes that target men who have sex with men (MSM) in many European countries, sex between men is still the predominant mode of HIV transmission in the EU/EEA. “HIV diagnoses among men who have sex with men have been rising at an alarming rate from 30% in 2005 to 42% in 2014 with increases in all but six EU/EEA countries", highlights Dr Ammon. “Europe has to scale up its efforts to reach out to this group – this includes looking at new strategies such as pre-exposure prophylaxis for HIV and access to care for EU citizens residing in other EU countries.” […]
The obstacle to ending AIDS: late diagnosis
Almost half of HIV infections are diagnosed late throughout the European Region: this increases the risk of ill health, death and onward HIV transmission. The high number of AIDS cases in the East also confirms challenges related to late HIV diagnosis, delayed initiation of antiretroviral therapy (ART) and low treatment coverage.
The number AIDS cases is constantly going down in the EU/EEA. But two thirds of AIDS diagnoses reported in 2014 occurred at the same time or shortly after the HIV diagnosis which means that these people have been diagnosed when their immune system already started to fail. Migrants are more likely to be diagnosed late despite the fact that antiretroviral therapy is widely available for documented migrants. But only half of EU/EEA countries provide free treatment for undocumented migrants.
New global HIV guidelines improve prevention and treatment
In 2015, new WHO global HIV prevention and treatment guidelines were issued, suggesting that ART should be initiated in all people living with HIV, irrespective of their CD4 cell count. There is now strong evidence that early treatment is beneficial both for the health of treated individuals and in preventing onward HIV transmission.
However, early testing, support by trained lay providers and potential use of HIV self-testing should be scaled up in order to make this new opportunity available to infected people. This will ensure earlier diagnoses and treatment initiation, resulting in improved treatment outcomes and less disease and death.«
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