HIV diagnosed late

The Health Protection Agency (www.hpa.org.uk) has confirmed that one-third of people with HIV are being diagnosed after the time at which treatment should begin.

Analysis of the 7298 diagnoses reported in 2008 shows that 32 per cent of individuals were diagnosed after their CD4 count had fallen below the treatment threshold of 200 per mm3. The Health Protection Agency points out that if the new British HIV Association threshold of 350 per mm³ is used, 55 per cent of diagnoses were late. Although HIV mortality is currently stable, three-quarters of the 525 people who died in 2008 were diagnosed after this threshold was reached. The HPA estimates that 27 per cent of the 83 000 people with HIV in the UK are unaware of their diagnosis.