Almost 22,500 people in the UK are living with HIV, unaware of their infection, a government watchdog said today.
According to figures by the Health Protection Agency (HPA), 86,500 people have the infection in the UK, 6,630 of whom were newly diagnosed in 2009.
It was the fourth year-on-year decline in the number of new diagnoses, but the figures suggest there has been no decline in the number of undiagnosed infections in the past decade.
The HPA’s report also found that 3,450 were diagnosed late, after the stage when treatment should have started.
Dr Valerie Delpech, consultant epidemiologist and head of HIV surveillance at the HPA, said: “We’re very concerned that a large number of people in the UK are unaware of their HIV status and that half of all newly diagnosed people are diagnosed late, meaning they may not benefit from very effective treatments.
“The HPA would like to see increased access to HIV testing in areas where rates of HIV infection are high. Pilot studies have shown that in these areas testing all adults registering at GPs or accessing certain hospital services can make an impact.
“The evidence shows that this testing is feasible to undertake and acceptable to patients. We would like to see this rolled out in areas where HIV infection is more common to reduce the number of people who are unaware of their HIV status and increase the chances of early diagnosis, when treatment is more successful.”
Dr Paul Cosford, HPA’s director of Health Protection Services, said the figures suggested that more effort is needed to ensure more people are aware of their HIV status.
“As well as widespread access to HIV testing, the HPA recommends that people who are at higher risk of HIV, such as men have sex with men and black Africans living in this country, should know their status and consider testing regularly,” he said. “It’s crucial to remember that using a condom with all new or casual sexual partners is the best way to prevent sexually transmitted infections, including HIV.”
The HPA has developed measures to evaluate the quality of treatment and care HIV patients receive. It found in London in 2008, more than 80 per cent of patients were seen for HIV care within one month of diagnosis.
There is also a high level of care across the UK, with more 90 per cent of patients having an undetectable viral load within a year as well as a restored immune system.
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