Rome, Italy – Despite the stabilization of the number of new HIV (AIDS) cases in Italy, late diagnosis remains a major challenge.
This is according to data from the AIDS Operations Center
of the International Social Service (ISS) for 2024.
The country recorded 2,379 new cases compared to 2,507 cases in 2023.
But about two-thirds of heterosexuals and more than half
of men who have sex with men (MSM)
They were diagnosed at an advanced stage with low CD4 cells,
indicating a delayed detection of the infection.
County with the highest infection rates
Barbara Solligoy, the center’s director, explained that “raising awareness
of prevention measures and providing early testing is vital.”
She noted that rates of late diagnosis have continued to rise since 2015.
The data showed that Rome, Florence and Milan
had the highest rates of HIV infection in the provinces.
Meanwhile, the percentage of new cases attributed to men
who have sex with men reached 41.6%.
For women and heterosexual men,
46%, and for drug addicts, 3.8%.
Spreading a healthy culture
Anna Teresa Palamara, director of the infectious diseases department
at the Italian Institute for Health Security, urged
Focusing on prevention and spreading health awareness among young people,
Considering that Italy is still below the average for Western Europe,
This is in terms of the rate of new diagnoses (4 versus 5.9 per 100,000 people).
In a related context, 450 new cases of AIDS were reported in 2024, down from 613 cases in 2023.
While the number of deaths and the level of widespread AIDS cases
have remained relatively stable in recent years,
This is with a total of approximately 24,790 cases alive as of 2022.
