Due to a decrease in screening linked to the coronavirus pandemic, the number of discoveries of HIV seropositivity and bacterial sexually transmitted infections (STIs) fell sharply in 2020, underlines the French public health agency on Tuesday.
The number of HIV seropositive discoveries in 2020 was thus estimated at 4,856, a decrease of 22% compared to 2019. With 5.2 million HIV serologies carried out by medical biology laboratories, the HIV screening activity , which had increased between 2013 and 2019, decreased by 14% between 2019 and 2020.
Social distancing involved?
"These data must however be interpreted with caution, the Covid-19 pandemic having resulted in a drop in the participation of health professionals in the various surveillance systems", notes the public health agency in a press release.
"The decrease in the number of diagnoses of HIV infection is mainly explained by the decrease in the use of screening in 2020, especially during the first confinement", explains Florence Lot, from the infectious diseases department of Public Health France, cited in the report. communicated.
“It could also be due to lower exposure to HIV linked to social distancing measures.
"Consequence of this decline in screening: a possible delay in diagnosis and access to antiviral treatments whose preventive effect has a direct impact on the dynamics of the epidemic, notes the agency, on the eve of World Day fight against AIDS.
Decrease in STIs
In 2020, 30% of HIV infections were discovered at an advanced stage of infection, which constitutes a loss of opportunity in terms of individual management and a risk of transmitting HIV to partners before starting antiretroviral treatment. .
A decrease in screening was also observed in 2020 for three bacterial STIs (Chlamydia trachomatis (Ct) infections, gonorrhea and syphilis) of around 6% in the private sector and more markedly in free information centers, screening and diagnosis (CeGIDD), in the order of 30%, due to partial or total closures during the first confinement.
In this context, Public Health France is rebroadcasting its campaign “living with HIV is first of all living” which aims to increase knowledge of the preventive effect of antiretroviral treatment (TasP) and to fight against discrimination linked to HIV. HIV positive.
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