By the end of 2006, authorities in the Republic of Serbia had reported a cumulative total of 2104 HIV cases. They had also reported that 1349 of the infected individuals had developed AIDS, including 818 who had died. For the year 2006, they reported 89 new HIV cases (10% IDUs), 62 new AIDS cases and 23 deaths among AIDS cases. In addition, a total number of 67 cases of HIV of which 34 had developed AIDS and 25 deaths among AIDS cases have been reported by the end of 2006 by the authorities in the UN Administered Province of Kosovo.
The epidemic in Serbia is driven by injecting drug use, first noted in the mid-1980s. IDUs now represent 47% of all HIV/AIDS cases, with a known mode of transmission, reported in the Republic of Serbia. In recent years, however, the majority of newly diagnosed HIV cases have been reported as sexually transmitted (59% MSM, 31% heterosexual in 2006). The country's highest number of HIV cases (around 80%) has been registered in Belgrade. Among all reported HIV cases, 74% are male. The decline observed in both new AIDS cases and AIDS deaths was primarily due to the increased use of HAART, which was introduced by the public health insurance system in 1997.
In total, approximately 37 829 people were tested for HIV in 2006. Since 1987, HIV testing has been mandatory by law for all blood, organ, tissue, semen and egg cell donors. It is also recommended for pregnant women in the first trimester of pregnancy if indicated epidemiologically. HIV testing is free of charge at 20 testing facilities across the country and is voluntary, confidential and anonymous. Pre- and post-test counselling is available at more than 60% of the facilities. The number of private facilities providing HIV testing is not known.
The Republic of Serbia has had mandatory passive reporting of HIV and AIDS cases and AIDS deaths since the beginning of the epidemic, but underreporting of HIV cases is still estimated to occur. The underreporting has been attributed to the stigmatization of high-risk groups and the failure of some private testing facilities to report all HIV cases. Despite the current low prevalence and the relatively stable epidemiological trends of recent years, partly as a result of many years of primary and secondary prevention efforts, certain factors could facilitate the epidemic's further rapid growth. These factors include a decade of internal turmoil, poor economic conditions and geographical placement along a major drug and human trafficking route.
In 2006, an estimated 778 HIV/AIDS patients received medical care for their condition in Serbia, excluding the UN Administered Province of Kosovo. By the end of 2002, 317 people were receiving HAART, this number had increased to 620 by the end of May 2007. Of those receiving HAART, 26% were infected through heterosexual contact, 34% through homo-/bisexual contact and 34% through injecting drug use. In addition 50% of IDUs on HAART were also receiving opioid substitution therapy. Of those tested for coinfection with hepatitis B and C, 10% were hepatitis B coinfected and 35% hepatitis C coinfected. In addition, 8 people were on HAART in the UN Administered Province of Kosovo by the end 2006.
By the end of 2006, the cumulative number of mother-to-child transmission cases was 9. In 2006 no new cases of MTCT was recorded.
Updated 19 June 2008
References:
European Centre for Epidemiological Monitoring of AIDS (EuroHIV). HIV/AIDS surveillance in Europe. End-year report 2006. Saint-Maurice: Institut de Veille Sanitaire, 2007. No. 75.
WHO Regional Office for Europe. Sexually transmitted infections/HIV/AIDS programme. WHO/Europe survey on HIV/AIDS and antiretroviral therapy 2006. WHO: Copenhagen; 2007
The European HIV Prevalence Database: (webpage) http://eurohiv-database.invs.sante.fr
