The BCCDC has released the provincial Annual Report on HIV and Sexually Transmitted Infections for 2010, which describes trends in HIV, AIDS, and STIs up to 2010 for the province of British Columbia. The format of this report is largely unchanged from previous reports, with the main change being the inclusion of data tables in Appendix A that were previously published in a separate HIV/AIDS Supplemental Report.
To briefly describe the key trends:
· Rates of genital chlamydia infection continue to increase.
· Rates of genital gonorrhea for 2009-2010 have been stable, with recent decreased rates among females (reflecting decreases in younger age groups).
· Little change in trends for pelvic inflammatory disease and ectopic pregnancy.
· Infectious syphilis cases have substantially declined (from 216 cases in 2009 to 155 cases in 2010), driven by a decrease in infectious syphilis among gay, bisexual and other MSM. Infectious syphilis cases among heterosexual and street-involved populations have continued to decrease steadily over a longer period.
· In 2010 the number of new positive HIV tests continued to decrease, to 301 (the lowest annual number on record). The decrease in new positive tests among people who use injection drugs observed in 2008 was sustained in 2010, while the number of new positive HIV tests among MSM and heterosexual populations did not change (at 50% and 28% of total new positive HIV tests respectively). Aboriginal people continue to be disproportionately represented.
· There were no perinatal HIV transmissions identified in 2010.
· AIDS cases decreased in 2009, consistent with the overall trend in BC (note: AIDS data lags by 1 year).
To view the entire report, please click here.
If you have any questions regarding the report, please contact Mark Gilbert at [email protected]