The latest HIV report from the Health Protection Surveillance Centre (HPSC) describes provisional data on new HIV diagnoses in Ireland in Quarter 1&2 2014. During Quarter 1&2 2014, there were 205 new HIV diagnoses which is the highest number diagnosed in a 6 month period since Quarter 1&2 2009. Of the new diagnoses, 46% were among men who have sex with men (MSM), 36% among heterosexuals and 5% among people who inject drugs (PWID). The probable route of transmission for 13% of cases is currently unknown, however as further data are received, the proportions in each risk group will change. A final report for 2014 will be published in mid-2015. Of the 205 cases, 73% were male and the median age was 34 years. Fifty percent were migrants and 32% were born in Ireland. The country of birth for the remaining 18% was unknown. Of the cases where CD4 count was known (85%), almost half (49%) were diagnosed at a late stage of infection and a quarter (25%) were diagnosed with advanced HIV infection. This is very similar to the 2013 data when 50% of new cases were diagnosed late and 25% were diagnosed very late where CD4 count was known (88%). Twenty percent of the new diagnoses had previously tested HIV positive in another country (where this information was known). This is an increase compared to 2013 (18%) and 2012 (16%).

Between January 1st and November 22nd 2014, 351 new HIV diagnoses have been reported in Ireland. This compares to 311 for the same time period in 2013 and is already higher than the total number of cases reported in 2013 (n=344). Weekly HIV and STI reports are available at http://www.hpsc.ie/A-Z/HIVSTIs/SexuallyTransmittedInfections/Publications/STIReports/STIWeeklyReports/

The full version of the Quarter 1&2 2014 report and other HIV reports can be accessed at http://www.hpsc.ie/A-Z/HIVSTIs/HIVandAIDS/    

For a list of clinics that offer free and confidential HIV testing in Ireland, please see http://thinkcontraception.ie/Services-Information/Find-a-Service.152.1.aspx or http://www.man2man.ie/free-testing-map.html.