Almost 30 000 newly diagnosed HIV infections were reported by the 31 European Union and European Economic Area (EU/EEA) countries in 2015, according to data published by ECDC and the WHO Regional Office for Europe. This is similar to the observed notification trends in the last decade. One reason for this persistent HIV epidemic: ECDC estimates that currently around 122 000 people living with HIV across the region are unaware of their infection. The estimated time between HIV infection and diagnosis is four years.
Treatment enables people with HIV infection to live a long, healthy and productive life. It also reduces their viral load significantly and this has been shown to be important in preventing onward transmission of HIV.
The HIV Modelling Tool is an application which uses evidence-based methods to calculate HIV incidence in a given population. It helps to understand local HIV epidemics by providing better estimates based on surveillance data.
The aim of the evaluation was to understand the use and impact of the 2010 HIV testing guidance in the EU/EEA, and to make recommendations for future steps by ECDC in this area, including, potentially, an updated guidance.
By 2021, 48 of 55 countries in Europe and Central Asia provided data on at least one stage of the continuum of HIV care (compared to 40 countries in 2018). A total of 47 countries were able to provide data for at least two consecutive stages of the continuum (compared to 45 in 2020) and 40 countries provided data on all four stages.
At the request of the Ministry of Health in Riga, a team of experts from ECDC and the European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction paid a technical visit to Latvia on 2–4 September 2014.