Safer sex appeal after record level of HIV cases

Apr 9 2008 by Gregory Tindle, Western Mail

A RECORD number of HIV cases have been diagnosed in Wales over the past year – the highest rate since the start of the epidemic nearly 30 years ago.

The latest NHS figures show a total of 172 new patients were confirmed with the virus – a rise over the previous year which was also a record with 154 new cases.

Doctors today confirmed that unprotected sex was by far the biggest cause of the spread and made new appeals for couples to practice safer sex by using a condom.

Despite the increase in new HIV patients, the numbers of cases leading to full blown Aids and deaths from Aids have remained static over the past decade with between five and 10 cases a year.

The main areas of transmission of the HIV virus are among homosexual men, heterosexual men who have contracted the infection from holidays or business trips to South East Asia or Africa and those who have emigrated to the UK from the same regions.

Over the years, a total of 1,446 cases of HIV have been diagnosed in Wales.

One of the most high profile cases was that of Freddie Mercury, lead singer of the rock group Queen, who died in 1991, aged 45.

Dr Mary Browning, a consultant in genito-urinary medicine for the Cardiff and Vale NHS Trust, said one of the reasons for the increase in cases was also a greater awareness of the treatments which were more widely available today.

“These treatments are very successful and much less frightening than they were many years ago.”

But Dr Browning emphasised that the safe sex message was the key to stopping the transmission of HIV.

“It is important for everyone but is vital for those who may have a new partner – male or female – and have no knowledge of their past sexual history.

“It really upsets me when I have to break the news that a patient has HIV especially those in the younger age bracket. Without exception, their reaction is one of horror and a “why me” attitude.”

Dr Browning said the clinic at the West Wing of Cardiff Royal Infirmary had a total of 353 HIV patients on their books with 50 to 70 new cases registered each year.

A spokeswoman for the National Public Health Service for Wales said early indications are new cases of HIV peaked last year and there will not be an increase in 2008.

She said: “The increase in the rate of new infections during the past decade is mostly attributable to increased immigration from countries where HIV and Aids are more prevalent, with patients coming to Wales already infected.

“Risk-taking behaviour among men who have sex with other men continues to be a factor and work is being done by us and the Welsh Assembly Government to raise awareness of the dangers of sexually transmitted infections among this group.”

Rob John, of the HIV charity the Terrence Higgins Trust in Wales, said: “It is claimed these figures may have peaked in 2007 but we do not know that – there may be many more people out there with HIV who have not yet been tested.

“There is still much more work that needs to be done at local and national levels in Wales to make HIV testing more available at a grass roots level and for the services to be more easily available – this not only applies to HIV but for many other sexually transmitted diseases. Our advice for all is to choose safe sex and if you are unsure of your HIV status get checked as soon as possible and then get a regular and repeat check-up.”