HIV and AIDS in Poland in 2012

From 1985 until the end of 2013, 17 565 cases of HIV infection, 3 062 AIDS cases and 1 246 deaths due to AIDS were registered in Poland. In this paper we aim to analyze the epidemiological situation of newly diagnosed HIV infections and AIDS cases in Poland in 2012.

Descriptive analysis of newly detected HIV cases and incident 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.

In 2012 there were 1 093 HIV cases diagnosed in Poland (detection rate 2.84 per 100 000 population), including 27 non-Polish citizens. The detection rate remained comparable to 2011, but approximately 30% higher than in 2006-2010. The total number of AIDS cases was 155 (incidence 0.40 per 100 000) and 57 AIDS patients died (0.15 per 100 000). HIV infection is mainly detected among people aged 20-39 years (72.6%) and males (83.5%). As many as 70% of newly diagnosed infections with known route of transmission occurred among men who have sex with men (MSM). The number of infections in this group increased by 9% from 2011 and over 3 times compared to 2006-2010 average. The percentage of late presenters (defined by the time between HIV and AIDS diagnoses of less than 3 months) decreased in comparison with 2011 (7.9% of newly diagnosed HIV infections).

HIV epidemic is still spreading among MSM in Poland. However, assessment of epidemiological situation is limited by the lack of data on the probable transmission route in a large percentage of reports of newly diagnosed HIV cases.