Press Release - Stichting HIV Monitoring reports yearly increase in number of new HIV diagnoses is not continuing

24 November 2011

Amsterdam, 24 November 2011 - Stichting HIV Monitoring (SHM) reports in its Monitoring Report 2011 that the yearly increase in number of new HIV diagnoses in men who have sex with men (MSM) does not appear to be continuing in 2009 and 2010. Since 1998, the annual number of new diagnoses amongst MSM has steadily increased to just above 800 in 2008. In 2009 and 2010 it is estimated that there will be 750 new diagnoses registered amongst MSM.

No further increase in new diagnoses

The majority of newly diagnosed HIV infections in the Netherlands are found in MSM. Figures of new HIV diagnoses in MSM give a strong indication of the course of the HIV epidemic in the Netherlands. On the basis of the number of registered new diagnoses last year, SHM estimated that in 2008 there were around 850 new HIV infections amongst MSM, the same level as at the peak of the epidemic in the early 1980s.

SHM reports that there appears to be no further increase in the annual number of new HIV diagnoses amongst MSM, with an estimate of around 750 new diagnoses per year in 2009 and 2010. In heterosexuals, SHM reports that the number of new diagnoses each year remains around 300 cases.

Risk behaviour

SHM’s data are supported by the results of the Schorer Monitor 2011, an annual report that focuses on the health, wellbeing and sexuality of MSM. Schorer reports that there is an apparent stabilisation in sexual risk behaviour: 36% of MSM in 2011 had unprotected anal sex in the past six months which is a similar number to that in 2010, whereas the percentage in previous years steadily increased.

Improved testing behaviour

There seems to be improved HIV testing behaviour amongst MSM, with Schorer reporting that percentages have risen in 2011 to 78% of MSM ever being tested for HIV. Young people of less than 26 years are often tested more recently than older people, and this impacts the stage of HIV infection at time of diagnosis. SHM reports that in young people diagnosed with HIV almost half were found to have a recent HIV infection, while in people aged 55 and over only a quarter were diagnosed with a recent infection.

Improved testing behaviour means that those diagnosed at an earlier stage of the infection can start earlier on treatment. Effective treatment helps to significantly control the spread of HIV.

Frank de Wolf, Director of SHM comments: “This is positive news. It seems that testing and treating are starting to be successful. But HIV is a life-long infection and it continues to infect a large number of people every year. We aren’t yet at the stage where we can say that the epidemic is under control. It remains a fragile balance. An increase in risk behaviour or a relaxation in testing behaviour could easily upset the balance, as could the spread of a resistant virus.”

HIV drug-resistance a cause for concern

Around 10% of patients have HIV that is resistant to at least one anti-HIV drug, and this is probably underestimated as resistance measurements are not often carried out. Resistance to medication has two consequences: 1) treatment becomes more difficult as the number of HIV treatment combinations is limited and 2) the course of the HIV epidemic could change as more and more people are infected with drug-resistant HIV. SHM will continue to monitor the developments of HIV drug-resistance and the effect it has on the HIV epidemic in the Netherlands.

Notes to editors:

HIV in the Netherlands: an overview

Registered HIV-patients in the Netherlands
Mid year	Total number of registered patients	Patients in follow-up
2006	12.059	-
2007	13.264	10.095
2008	14.960	11.349
2009	16.129	12.405
2010	17.327	13.035
2011	18.735	14.610

Yearly number of new HIV diagnoses*
Year	MSM	Hetero-sexual**	IDU***	Others	Total
2006	632	349	13	78	1072
2007	747	351	12	67	1177
2008	804	328	4	73	1209
2009	725	303	4	68	1100
2010*	648	281	6	57	992
2011*	133	44	0	16	193

* SHM publishes the number of new HIV diagnoses in its annual Monitoring Report. The diagnosis figures for 2010 and 2011 will further increase significantly. Also the figures for previous years are constantly changing. This is because some people who are tested positive for HIV in previous years are only registered later in a HIV treatment centre. In addition, there is always some backlog in the registration of data.

** This includes heterosexual men and women

*** Intravenous drug users

Monitoring Report 2011

SHM’s Monitoring Report 2011 is available for download from SHM’s website, www.hiv-monitoring.nl. A Dutch summary of the report is also available via the website.

NCHIV 2011

Frank de Wolf, Director of Stichting HIV Monitoring, will present the main points and conclusions of the Monitoring Report 2011 at the 5^th Netherlands Conference on HIV Pathogenesis, Prevention and Treatment (NCHIV 2011). NCHIV 2011 will take place on Tuesday, 29 November at the Royal Tropical Institute (KIT) in Amsterdam. Media are invited to attend the event. Please visit www.nchiv.org for further information.

About Stichting HIV Monitoring

Stichting HIV Monitoring (SHM), the Dutch HIV monitoring foundation, makes an important and necessary contribution to healthcare for HIV-infected people living in the Netherlands. Through the collection and maintenance of anonymous data from HIV patients throughout the country, SHM’s work contributes significantly to the knowledge of HIV and enables treating physicians to assess and improve patient care. Research conducted by SHM results in tangible advice geared to medical professionals and patients, government and healthcare at large. Results of SHM's research and those of others are presented regularly in medical journals and at international meetings and conferences. Furthermore, SHM delivers contributions to global HIV research. SHM also monitors hepatitis B and C co-infections through the same systematic approach and collects some international HIV data, notably in Curaçao. SHM’s yearly monitoring report provides valuable input for the development of HIV care and prevention policies within the Netherlands and the EU.