The full report is available to download from: HIV and STI Trends in Wales Report: January 2009 (PDF, 526KB)

• The prevalence of HIV/AIDS in Wales continues to increase and in 2007 there were 1009 Welsh residents receiving treatment for HIV/AIDS (34 per 100,000 population).  The increase in prevalence in recent years has been partly due to better survival of those infected with HIV in the past, and the immigration of people into Wales who have acquired their infection overseas.  However, there continues to be local transmission of HIV/AIDS, particularly in men who have sex with men (MSM), and this group still makes up a significant proportion of prevalent cases in Wales.

• Women continue to be over-represented in the heterosexual HIV positive population in Wales raising concerns that there are barriers to heterosexual men accessing HIV testing, particularly  men in non-white ethnic groups.

• The number of HIV antibody tests carried out by laboratories in Wales continues to increase, with nearly 41532 tests carried out in 2007 (1394 tests per 100,000 population per year).  Between 2003 and 2007 the number of tests carried out in GUM more than doubled.

• The Health Protection Agency reported 192 new cases of HIV infection in Wales in 2007.  This is the highest number of new cases in Wales since the start of the epidemic and an increase from the previous year (154 cases).  33% of these new HIV diagnoses were in people who probably acquired their infection through heterosexual sex; 49% of cases were in MSM.  Route of transmission was not known for a higher proportion of cases in 2007 than in previous years (16%).

• One prospective new blood donor and two existing donors were screened positive for HIV in Wales in 2007.  In 2006, there were no positive screens for prospective donors and only one positive blood donation in existing donors.  Blood from donors who are screened positive does not enter the blood supply and these donors are removed from the donor panel and are not called for donation again

• Between 2005 and 2006 the number of new cases of syphilis, herpes and warts diagnosed in GUM clinics in Wales all increased.  However, the number of new cases of uncomplicated gonorrhoea and chlamydia decreased slightly.

• The number of cases of infectious syphilis reported to the enhanced syphilis surveillance scheme increased from 75 in 2006 to 81 in 2007.  The majority of all cases to the end 2007 (71%) were in men reporting sex with men (MSM).  The percentage of heterosexual cases was 25% in 2007.

• A significant proportion of chlamydia testing is carried out in general practice.  Data from the results of chlamydia laboratory tests on samples submitted from all sources indicate that the number of positive test results slightly decreased from 2006, from 4289 to 4194 tests.

• In 2006, there was a 2% decrease in cases of uncomplicated anogenital chlamydia infection diagnosed in GUM, from 3942 episodes in 2005 to 3869 episodes in 2006.

• In 2003 lymphogranuloma venereum (LGV) emerged as a serious infection of MSM in Europe.  Five cases were identified in Wales in 2005, clustered in South West Wales.  There is evidence that transmission occurred locally in some of these cases, raising the possibility of more widespread distribution in Wales.  One further case of LGV was identified in Swansea in 2008.

• There are still barriers to effective surveillance of STI in Wales.  KC60 data are not timely and neither laboratory nor KC60 data can provide data on the incidence of STI in Local Health Board resident populations.  Also, voluntary reporting of STI by laboratories in Wales is not complete as some laboratories do not report routinely to the scheme.  To address this, the Welsh Assembly Government has sponsored a project to develop and implement timely, person and area-based STI surveillance for Wales.  The project is currently being piloted in North East and South East Wales.

http://www.wales.nhs.uk/sites3/news.cfm?orgid=457&contentid=11458