New HIV cases slip 10.8% in Ireland
There were 356 newly diagnosed cases of HIV in Ireland in 2004 – a 10.8% decrease on the previous year, it emerged today.
The total number of reported HIV infections in the country up to the end of December 2004 was 3,764, according to the Health Protection Surveillance Centre.
Some 178 of the newly-diagnosed cases were in heterosexuals, compared to 223 cases in 2003 but the HPSC warned that information on risk group is unavailable for 39 of the newly diagnosed cases in 2004, making analysis of trends difficult.
A total of 192 of those diagnosed in 2004 were male, and 161 were female, while gender was unknown for three cases.
Of the 305 cases where geographic origin is known, 136 were born in Ireland and 130 cases were born in sub-Saharan Africa, the HPSC said.
There was a drop in the number of new diagnoses among men who have sex with men with 62 cases being detected during 2004, compared to 75 for the previous year.
But there was a sizeable jump in the number of new diagnoses among injecting drug users with 71 testing positive during 2004 compared to 49 in 2003.
In all, 41 people were diagnosed with AIDS at the same time as HIV diagnosis, where information is available, meaning they would not have had the opportunity to benefit from treatment prior to AIDS diagnosis.
On the eve of Irish AIDS day, HPSC specialist in public health medicine, Dr Mary Cronin, said that it is important to note that these figures do not represent the number of people infected with the HIV virus in Ireland, but rather provide information on the number of new diagnoses in 2004.
“The number of new diagnoses reported is dependent on patterns of HIV testing and reporting and there is a need to raise awareness and dispel myths in relation to HIV/AIDS and to promote HIV testing particularly among groups at risk,” she said.
“The figures highlight the continuing need for appropriate prevention and treatment services for all risk groups in Ireland, including migrants and ethnic communities.
“The number of people living with HIV is growing and, given the increases in sexually-transmitted diseases which facilitate the transmission of HIV infection, people should heed the safe sex message.
“Anyone engaging in sexual activity should practice safe sex. A properly used condom provides effective protection from HIV.”
Dr Cronin said it has been clearly shown that mother to child transmission of HIV can be dramatically reduced or prevented by appropriate treatment and intervention measures.
“A policy to recommend and offer antenatal HIV screening to all women was introduced in Ireland in 1999,” she said.
“Of a total of 113 babies born to HIV infected mothers during 2004, only one was diagnosed with HIV infection, underlining the success of the antenatal screening programme in Ireland.”
