Irish View

HIV statistics in the Ireland are compiled by the Health Protection Surveillance Centre (HPSC). These figures describe HIV infections newly diagnosed during Quarter 3 & 4 2006 and provides an annual summary for 2006 (www.hpsc.ie).

• A total of 337 HIV infections newly diagnosed during 2006 were reported to the HPSC. This compares to 318 diagnosed in 2005 and represents a 6.0% increase.
• The cumulative total number of HIV infections reported to the end of 2006 is 4,419.
• Of the 337 newly diagnosed cases, 169 were reported as having been heterosexually acquired. This compares to 168 in 2005 and 178 in 2004. These data should be interpreted with caution as information on probable route of transmission is unavailable for 22 of the cases newly diagnosed in 2006, making interpretation of trends difficult.
• Of the 169 cases acquired through heterosexual contact, 104 were born in sub-Saharan Africa (63 female and 41 male) and 33 were born in Ireland (17 female and 16 male).
• There were 57 new diagnoses in Injecting Drug Users (IDU) in 2006 compared to 66 in 2005 and 71 in 2004.
• There were 83 new diagnoses in men who have sex with men (MSM) in 2006 compared to 57 in 2004 and 64 in 2004.
• HIV infection was newly diagnosed in three children in 2006. The probable route of transmission for two of the three cases was mother to child transmission (MCT).
• In addition, there were 115 babies born to a HIV infected mother during 2006, 72 are not infected and 43 remain of indeterminate status (i.e. do not meet the criteria for HIV infection and are <18 months at time of test).
• Of the newly diagnosed cases in 2006, 212 were male and 123 were female. Gender was unknown for two cases.
• Of the 123 females with newly diagnosed HIV infection in 2006, 26 were reported to be pregnant at HIV diagnosis.
• The mean age at HIV diagnosis was 34.0 years. The mean age among females was 30.8 years and among males was 35.9 years, a difference of 5.1 years.
• Of the 283 cases where geographic origin was known, 125 were born in Ireland and 109 were born in sub-Saharan Africa. Data on geographic origin are not available for 54 cases.
• Information on stage of infection at time of HIV diagnosis was available for 279 of the 337 cases. Of the 279 cases, 201 were asymptomatic and 28 were diagnosed with AIDS at the time as HIV diagnosis.
• A total of 909 AIDS cases have been reported to the end of 2006 of which 397 are reported to have died. A total of 451 deaths have been reported in HIV infected individuals.