Trends of HIV infection in Giurgiu county, Romania

Abstract number: r2168

Manolescu  L., Marinescu  P., Sultana  C., Ruta  S.

Background: 

Romania encountered three major waves of HIV infection: first occurred between 1987–1991, in children from institutions. The second occurred between 1994–1995 in children from families. Since then a third wave of epidemic is predictable in sexually active adolescents and young adults.

Objective: 

To analyse the existing information concerning the extent and the dynamic of the HIV/AIDS epidemic in Giurgiu county during 1995–2005.

Methods: 

Virological, immunological and clinical status of all new HIV diagnosed patients were evaluated from 1995 till present in a prospective study.

Results: 

We observed a decrease in the number of new HIV infected individuals, in 1995 there were 62 new HIV diagnosed patients in 1998, 28; in 2000, 20; in 2003, 6 and in 2005 only 3 new HIV infected. The median age at diagnoses increased year by year from 8.9 ± 6.24 years old in 1995, to 14.2 ± 8.78 years old in 1997, 17.47 ± 8.80 in 2000 and then in 2003 to 27.5 ± 14.30 years old. We also observed a decrease in the rate of AIDS to HIV in new infected persons from 1.27 in 1995 to 0.5 in 2003 and 0.1 in 2005. No difference in gender incidence of HIV infection was noticed. The vertical transmission is still in the low range (<5%). The percentage of new diagnosed HIV individuals that started antiretroviral therapy increased from 43.5% in 1995 to 83.3% in 2003.

Conclusion: 

The weigh of paediatric AIDS in Romanian epidemic is balanced after 1996 by continuous spread of the disease in adult population. The number of new HIV infected individuals by year of diagnose is decreasing in Giurgiu County and the trend is to diagnose patients in early stages. The epidemic, driven initially by a nosocomial tragedy in Romania now risks spreading more widely through increased sexual risk behaviour together with sexually transmitted infections.