Europe

In Western and Central Europe the prevalence of HIV among adults is now relatively stable, having gone from 0.2% of the overall population in 2001 to 0.3% in 2008. Western Europe mirrors the UK epidemic, in that most HIV transmission happens between men who have sex with men but most diagnoses are amongst heterosexuals who probably contracted HIV in areas of high prevalence outside Europe. In Eastern Europe most new infections are amongst injecting drug users, and in Central Europe, heterosexual sex is believed to be the major mode of transmission. The highest rates of HIV are in Eastern Europe.

Statistics

In Western Europe in 2008:

• 10% of those newly diagnosed were between 15 and 24 year olds
• Where mode of transmission was identifiable, 30% of newly diagnosed HIV cases were infected through heterosexual sex, 43% were amongst MSM and 5% were amongst injecting drug users
• 30% of new HIV diagnoses were in women.

More information

These groups of people have relatively high instances of HIV, or have a proportion of people living with HIV that is growing faster than average:

• men having sex with men
• heterosexuals
• injecting drug users
• commercial sex workers