HIV and AIDS in Poland in 2014

AIM: The aim was to analyze the epidemiological situation of newly diagnosed HIV infections and AIDS cases in Poland in 2014 and years earlier.

MATERIALS AND METHOD: Descriptive analysis of newly detected HIV cases and AIDS cases was performed based on routine notifications by clinicians and laboratories. Data on the number of HIV tests from annual survey among laboratories were also used.

RESULTS: In 2014 there were 1,157 HIV cases diagnosed in Poland (incidence rate 3.01 per 100,000 population), including 14 among non-Polish citizens. The rate of new cases rose by 4.4% compare to last year and increased by 20% compare to median in 2008 - 2012. The total number of AIDS cases was 148 (incidence 0.38 per 100,000) and 40 AIDS patients died (0.10 per 100,000). HIV infection was mainly detected among people aged 20 to 39 years (72.0%) and among males (82.2%). Among men 64.5% of newly diagnosed infections with known transmission category were acquired by men who have sexual contacts with men (MSM). The percentage of infected men in this group decreased by 4.1% compare to previous year, but there were the increase in the percentage of infected person who take heterosexual contacts, from 20.4% to 24.7% (person with known transmission category). The percentage of late presenters (defined by the time between HIV and AIDS diagnoses of less than 3 months) increased in comparison with year 2013 by almost one percentage (from 8.4% to 9.2% of newly diagnosed HIV infections).

CONCLUSIONS: HIV epidemic continues to develop among MSM in Poland. However, assessment of epidemiological situation is limited by the missing data on the probable transmission route in a large percentage of reported newly detected HIV infection.