New HIV Diagnoses in the EU by Method of Transmission

"Men who have sex with men (MSM) accounted for 39% of new HIV diagnoses (n=10,885) in 2011 in the EU/EEA (38% in 2010 ^[2]; 35% in 2009 ^[3]). MSM accounted for more than 50% of the cases in nine countries and more than 30% in another eight countries. Heterosexual transmission accounted for 36% of the HIV infections (n=10,118): more than a third of those cases originated from sub-Saharan Africa countries with a generalised HIV epidemic. More than half of the heterosexually acquired HIV infections in Belgium, Sweden, United Kingdom, Ireland and Norway were reported in persons originating from sub-Saharan Africa. There were 4,384 HIV cases (16%) reported in persons from sub-Saharan Africa in total: they were over-represented in the following transmission modes, as shown in the Table: heterosexual contacts (37%) and mother-to-child transmission (46%). Only 5% (n=1,516) of HIV diagnoses were reported in injecting drug users (IDU). Injecting drug use as predominant mode of transmission was reported in only two countries: Lithuania and Iceland. IDU accounted for 25% or more of the cases in Bulgaria, Greece, Latvia and Romania. Of the remaining 297 cases with reported transmission mode, 222 (1%) were classified as due to mother-to-child transmission and 75 (0.3%) due to transfusion of blood or its products and nosocomial transmission."