HIV cases rise in 74 countries in last decade

Over the past decade, the rate of new HIV infections has increased in 74 countries, according to a new study presented Tuesday at the 21st International AIDS conference in Durban, South Africa.

While the total number of new infections declined globally from 2005 to 2015, certain countries saw a rise in numbers of people becoming infected, calling for better targeting of prevention programs in order to end AIDS by 2030.

The greatest increases in infections were seen in Pakistan, Panama, Qatar and Afghanistan, respectively, but countries across four continents were highlighted, including Russia and Mexico.

"We must slow down the risk of new infections," said Haidong Wang, assistant professor of global health at the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation at the University of Washington, who led the study.

The rate at which infections have declined globally over the decade were also raised as a concern, as new infections with HIV fell by an average 0.7% per year between 2005 and 2015, compared to a much more significant decline of 2.7% per year from 1997 to 2005, according to the study. "This is a stark contrast," said Wang.

The study is based on findings from the Global Burden of Diseases, Injuries, and Risk Factors Study and explored the numbers of new infections, people living with HIV, deaths from HIV infection and people accessing treatment in 195 countries and territories from 2005 to 2015.

More than 75% of new infections recorded in 2015 across the 195 countries included in the study were in sub-Saharan Africa, with South Asia coming second with 8.5% of infections.

The need for more drugs

During a press conference, Wang used Pakistan as an example to highlight the importance of access to antiretroviral therapy. In Pakistan, less than 6% of people infected with HIV are receiving ART, according to the study.

Treatment has been shown to reduce the risk of transmitting HIV by up to 96%, as levels of the virus in the body can become almost undetectable when antiretroviral drugs are taken consistently. "[We need to] meet the needs of those infected to access treatment," he said.