Despite more sexual health screens, reduced waiting times and more partners being treated, HIV and sexually transmitted infections (STIs) are still on the rise in the UK, reports the Health Protection Agency.
Testing Times - HIV and other Sexually Transmitted Infections in the United Kingdom: 2007, estimates that 73,000 adults are now living with HIV in the UK. Up to a third of these remain undiagnosed.
The total number of STI diagnoses increased 2.4% from 606,600 in 2005 to 621,300 in 2006 with much of this and HIV infections diagnosed in gay men. Black Africans and black Carribbeans also represented groups with high diagnosis of HIV. Half of the estimated 7,800 HIV cases diagnosed in 2006 were in these groups. Heterosexual transmission is also increasing, says the report.
In young adults, the picture is also grim. ‘Sexual health of young adults has worsened with increases in sexually transmitted herpes and warts viruses. One in ten young adults screened through the National Chlamydia Screening Programme tested positive for the infection,’ said Dr Valerie Delpech, Head of HIV surveillance at the Agency.
Health services and government initiatives have had some positive effect on numbers seen, says the report. GUM clinics have carried out almost a million screens, up 9% from 2005 to 2006. Waiting times had come down too so that by year end, 69% of attendees at genital urinary medicine (GUM) clinics were seen in 48 hours. This may have lowered gonorrhoea transmission in heterosexuals, its report notes.
HIV tests offered and accepted is up with two-thirds of the 961,000 sexual health screens done having included an HIV test and more STIs were diagnosed in general practice.
The HPA recommends increased testing for STIs and HIV including regular HIV tests for gay men. All GUM clinic attendees should be tested for HIV every time they come in and young, sexually active adults should be screened for chlamydia every year and after changing partners.