Aids hits baby-boomers
Wednesday July 21st, 2010
Aids is spreading rapidly among Britain's over-50s, a government watchdog warned today.
The spread of the disease may reflect changing attitudes amongst the country's baby-boomers.
In seven years, the number of new cases of HIV infection reported among over-50s more than doubled, according to Health Protection Agency experts.
By 2007, some 710 new cases were reported compared with 299 in 2000.
The sharp increase was revealed at the International Aids Conference in Vienna, Austria.
The researchers said the main cause of infection was sex between men.
Scientist Ruth Smith said: "We estimate that nearly half of older adults diagnosed between 2000 and 2007 were infected at age 50 or over and this highlights the importance of HIV testing - whatever your age.
"We must continually reinforce the safe sex message - using a condom with all new or casual partners is the surest way to ensure people do not become infected with a serious sexually transmitted infection such as HIV."
HPA head of HIV surveillance Dr Valerie Delpech said: "Although adults aged 50 and over account for just eight per cent of all new HIV diagnoses, the fact that cases have more than doubled in recent years serves as a timely reminder that anybody is at risk of HIV infection if they do not use protection and practice safe sex."
R. Smith et al. HIV Transmission and high rates of HIV diagnosis among adults aged 50 years and over. AIDS 2010, 24:000-000
Tags: Flu & Viruses | Geriatric Health | UK News
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