Human immunodeficiency virus among people who inject drugs: is risk increasing in Europe?

• Published in: Euro surveillance : bulletin européen sur les maladies transmissibles Vol. 18; no. 48; p. 20648
• Main Authors: Hedrich, D, Kalamara, E, Sfetcu, O, Pharris, A, Noor, A, Wiessing, L, Hope, V, Van de Laar, M
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Sweden Centre Europeen pour la Surveillance Epidemiologique du SIDA (European Centre for the Epidemiological Monitoring of AIDS) 28.11.2013
• Subjects: Drug abuse; Drug Users - statistics & numerical data; Economic conditions; Europe - epidemiology; European Union - statistics & numerical data; HIV; HIV Infections - epidemiology; HIV Infections - transmission; HIV Infections - virology; HIV Seroprevalence - trends; Human immunodeficiency virus; Humans; Population Surveillance; Prevalence; Prevention programs; Risk Factors; Substance Abuse, Intravenous - epidemiology; Europe
• ISSN: 1560-7917; 1025-496X; 1560-7917
• DOI: 10.2807/1560-7917.ES2013.18.48.20648

In most European Union (EU)/European Economic Area (EEA) countries, between 2010 and 2012, reports of new human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) diagnoses among people who inject drugs have been stable or declining. HIV outbreaks in Greece and Romania, first reported in 2011, continue and economic conditions hinder provision of effective response coverage. When measured against some established thresholds, prevention coverage remains inadequate in at least one-third of EU/EEA countries. Urgent consideration to scale up prevention efforts is merited.