CASES of HIV infection in GALICIA | In Galicia, the number of HIV cases is falling, but the number of late diagnoses is increasing

Late detection human immunodeficiency virusHIV continues to be a critical public health problem. Although it’s true that new cases decreased year after year, 45% in the case of Galicia over the last two decades, diagnose the disease in its early stages This is one of the main challenges facing the healthcare system.

This follows from the latest report National Epidemiological Center of the Carlos III Institute of Healthwhich talks about this in detail half the people HIV diagnosis was confirmed once last year The infection has already progressed significantly.

While this data is not broken down by community, the situation is similar across the state.

“It is important that the public and health professionals understand that anyone engaging in risky activities is vulnerable to HIV, and it is important to diagnose the infection as soon as possible,” the study said, warning “inequality of access” to testingalthough they are free and confidential. For this reason, he warns, it is necessary to diversify prevention programs adapt them to the needs of different groups.

Since 2003 in Spain, only 71,424 cases of HIV, 3196 last year. This corresponds to a rate of 6.65 cases per 100,000 inhabitants. In Galicia, the first reported cases date back a year later, in 2004, bringing the total number to 3392.

The Galician community knew last year 117 new cases What does HIV mean? on average one case every three days, and this is a far cry from the 212 cases reported in 2004. This number has remained stable in recent years, with minor ups and downs, although Galicia has not yet managed to break the barrier of one hundred new annual diagnoses. So far, 2019 was the year with the fewest cases, with 105.

Sexual transmission is the most common route.

The most common way infection

HIV remains sexualassuming a transmission route in 82.9% of cases in Galiciathe percentage is very similar to that of the state as a whole. The highest incidence is recorded among men who have sex with men, accounting for 53.8% of the total number of infections, while heterosexual relationships account for 29.1% of the total number of infections.

He injection drug use, widespread in the last century, Almost residual is 1.7%. There is no information about the remaining infected people.

Late discovery

Regarding late detection, this type of diagnosis, as confirmed by the study, increases with age. Thus, although HIV is diagnosed late in 33.4% of cases among people under 25 years of age, this percentage is increasing up to 61.5% among people over 50 years of age. In the latter case, most people also become infected through heterosexual relationships, which complicates diagnosis because the stigma assumes that they belong to groups expected to be free of the virus.

“Given the data presented, it is necessary to continue implementation Strategic plan for HIV prevention and control and other sexually transmitted infections (STIs) in Spain in order to accelerate the reduction in the rate of new cases of HIV detection and late diagnosis of infection,” the Ministry of Health said in a statement.

AIDS incidence is declining

On the other hand, regarding cases AIDS, advanced stage of HIV infection that causes progressive destruction of the immune system, analysis shows that after more than two decades of effective antiretroviral treatment, The decline in incidence was “important.”