HIV transmission in Ireland is falling, one of the country’s leading experts in sexual health has said.
Human Immunodeficiency Virus is a condition that attacks the body’s immune system and, if left untreated, will develop into AIDs within eight to 10 years.
On The Pat Kenny Show, Dr Aisling Loy of St James’ Hospital said public health measures have reduced the transmission rate of the virus.
“The good news story for Ireland is that our measures are working here to prevent new diagnosis of people in Ireland,” she said.
“Our new diagnosis numbers are going down.
“The rate has gone down 16% since 2019; we were looking at the pre-COVID figures and it was four per 100,000 new diagnoses.
“Whereas now, it’s down to 3.4 - so, it’s a 16% decrease.”
The HSE provides a home testing service for STIs and HIV. Ordering a home STI test is quick, easy and discreet. Visit https://t.co/S46pCjEaxw to order your free STI test kit today, https://t.co/A9Py9YgGHQ @_respectprotect
— HSE Health Protection Surveillance Centre (HPSC) (@hpscireland) December 1, 2023
Measures to reduce the rate of transmission include free condoms, STI checks and Pre-exposure prophylaxis (PreP) - which reduces the chance of HIV transmission during sexual intercourse.
Despite this, Dr Loy said there are also a notable number of people who have recently moved to Ireland who already have HIV.
“With HIV, we are seeing an increase [in cases] year-on-year,” she said.
“At the rate we’re going this year, we’ll probably have up to 5,000 new cases in Ireland.
“Just to explain that figure, that’s not new cases being diagnosed in Ireland, they are mostly diagnosed abroad.”
Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) is a medication that is taken to prevent HIV infection. PrEP will be available from the HSE from 4th November. For more information on PrEP eligibility, how to access and much more, visit https://t.co/dXPpjUIHJj #PrEPforIreland pic.twitter.com/1Ys0omYwv9
— HSE Ireland (@HSELive) October 10, 2019
A similar phenomenon can be seen in Britain where the country’s Health Security Agency reported a 36% increase in the number of heterosexual men being diagnosed with the virus in a single year.
“When they look at it, it is mostly people who have mostly already been diagnosed elsewhere,” Dr Loy said.
“So, it is a migration phenomenon generally and their rates of new transmissions are going down within the UK as well because of their PreP programme.”
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Dr Loy said for many people, learning they have HIV comes as a complete surprise as the condition can be asymptomatic for many years.
“Most people with HIV have no idea they have it,” she said.
“Often you get asked this when you diagnose a new patient and they’ll say, ‘Gosh, I felt well, I feel fine, I don’t understand.’”
According to the HSE, life-expectancy for people with HIV who take antiretroviral therapy is “similar to that of the general population”.
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Main image: A blood test for HIV. Picture by: Alamy.com
