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Eliminating HIV transmission in New South Wales: the critical role of testing
Author(s) -
Gale Marianne,
Holden Joanne,
Selvey Christine,
Chant Kerry,
Whittaker Bill
Publication year - 2014
Publication title -
medical journal of australia
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.904
H-Index - 131
eISSN - 1326-5377
pISSN - 0025-729X
DOI - 10.5694/mja14.00490
Subject(s) - human immunodeficiency virus (hiv) , transmission (telecommunications) , virology , computer science , medicine , telecommunications
In Australia, about 1000 new HIV diagnoses are notifi ed annually. In 2012, after 10 years of relative stability, the number of HIV notifi cations in New South Wales sharply increased. Most other states and territories have experienced a similar trend. There were 409 new notifi cations of HIV reported in NSW in 2012; a 24% increase compared with 2011.1 In 2013, there were 357 notifi cations; a fall of 13% from 2012 but still higher than any year since 2007. Men who have sex with men (MSM) accounted for 78% of all notifi cations.2 In the 30 years since the fi rst Australian HIV case was recorded in Sydney, approaches to HIV diagnosis, treatment and prevention have evolved in response to emerging scientifi c evidence. Thanks to the availability of effective antiretroviral treatment, receiving a diagnosis of HIV in Australia is no longer the death sentence it once was. Instead, living with HIV today carries with it the lifelong health and social consequences of a unique chronic disease.