Although in Western Europe the prevalence of HIV is relatively stable compared to high-prevalence area of the world, overall numbers of people living with HIV and new diagnoses continue to increase year on year at significant levels.
In 2011, over 53,974 people were newly diagnosed with HIV in the World Health organisation (WHO) European Region and over 28,000 of these were in the European Union or European Economic Area. In the 50 countries that have consistently reported HIV figures, the number of newly diagnosed cases of HIV per year has more than tripled in ten years.
In the EU/EEA, the predominant mode of transmission for HIV infection is sex between men, followed by heterosexual contact. Trends show that the number of new diagnosis in MSM has increased by 33 per cent since 2004. Around one third of the cases reported to be heterosexually acquired were diagnosed in people from countries with generalised HIV epidemics. 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.
Among the 49 countries consistently reporting AIDS cases in the WHO region, the overall number of reported AIDS diagnoses was 10,923 down from as many as 12,940 in 2004. However, Eastern Europe bucked this trend with increasing numbers of AIDS diagnoses reported in the majority of countries there.
There are though to be approaching a million people living with HIV in Western and Central Europe, rising to over 2 million including Eastern Europe.
Statistics
- HIV infection rates were nearly four times higher in Eastern Europe at 22.4 cases per 100,000 population than in Western Europe
- 11 per cent of those newly diagnosed were between 15 and 24 year olds, down from 11 per cent in 2010
- 21.5 per cent of new diagnoses were reported among men who have sex with men at 11,595 cases
- 19.7 per cent of new diagnoses were diagnosed in intravenous drug users at 10,658 cases
- 45.8 per cent of new diagnoses were reported as due to heterosexual transmission at 24,738 cases
The UK had more new diagnoses than any other country in Western Europe or the EU/EAA in 2011 and the only country in Western Europe with a higher per capita rate was Belgium. However the rate of increase in the UK has remained relatively stable compared to countries like Spain and Italy which have had significant rate increases since 2004. F
rance and Spain both have around double the prevalence of HIV in the population than the UK which may be due to the UK's early national AIDS prevention campaigns. British HIV testing and surveillance is thought to be particularly well promoted and monitored which may also add to the higher number and rate here in the UK.