Unsafe sexual behaviour and poorly targeted testing are blamed in a new report for a failure to reduce the number of new HIV infections in gay men in the past decade.
Despite an almost fourfold increase in HIV testing, an increase in treatment availability and a reduction in diagnosis time, the number of infections in England and Wales from men having sex with men (MSM) is still around 2,300-2,500 per year.
New research published today in The Lancet Infectious Diseases journal also found that undiagnosed HIV infections remained high, increasing from 7,370 in 2001 to 7,690 in 2010, and that annual new diagnoses rose steadily from 2001-2010.
Lead investigator Dr Daniela De Angelis, at the Medical Research Council (MRC) Biostatistics Unit, told Channel 4 News that the results were surprising and showed that HIV transmission among sexually active gay men remains a significant public health issue.
“There needs to be better targeting of testing and more frequent testing in order to try and reduce the number of new infections and new undiagnosed cases.”
Researchers from the MRC and the Health Protection Agency (HPA) found that despite a 20 per cent reduction in the average time between infection and diagnosis, from four years to 3.2 years, 38 per cent of infections in 2010 were still diagnosed after the time patients should have started antiretroviral (ARV) treatment.
Dr Valerie Delpech, head of HIV surveillance at the Health Protection Agency (HPA), said, “We are seriously concerned about the level of ongoing HIV transmission and the significant impact this is having within the community of men who have sex with men.
“The most plausible explanation for these results is continuing unsafe sexual behaviour coupled with insufficient HIV testing, showing us just how vital safe sex programmes engaging MSM remain.
“They should get an HIV and STI screen at least annually, and every three months if having unprotected sex with new or casual partners – and we urge clinicians to take every opportunity to offer the test to this group.”
One in 20 men who have sex with men in the UK now has HIV. According to the charity, the Terrence Higgins Trust, the average spend on national HIV awareness campaigns is less than £2 per gay man, per year.
Chief executive of the trust Sir Nick Partridge told Channel; 4 News: “These findings highlight the real challenges faced by HIV prevention work, which need much greater attention.
“Spending on safer sex campaigns for gay men has fallen dramatically over the past 10 years. Much greater priority needs to be given to HIV prevention by the NHS, local government and the gay community.
“Treatments have been extraordinary and wonderful for gay men, but what we know from our surveys is that nowadays fewer gay men recognise the prevalence of HIV in the community, and this means they could be taking more risks and they are get those risks wrongs.
“HIV has become invisible in the community and campaigning need to be stepped up.”