• English
• Français
• Deutsch
• Pусский

What is HIV?

The human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infects cells of the immune system, destroying or impairing their function. Infection with the virus results in the progressive deterioration of the immune system, leading to “immune deficiency.” The immune system is considered deficient when it can no longer fulfil its role of fighting infection and disease. Infections associated with severe immunodeficiency are called “opportunistic infections” because they take advantage of a weakened immune system.

What is AIDS?

Acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) is a surveillance term defined by the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the European Centre for the Epidemiological Monitoring of AIDS (EuroHIV). The term AIDS applies to the most advanced stages of HIV infection, defined by the occurrence of any of more than 20 opportunistic infections or HIV-related cancers.

How is HIV transmitted?

HIV can be transmitted through unprotected sexual intercourse (vaginal or anal) and oral sex with an infected person, transfusion of contaminated blood and the sharing of contaminated needles, syringes or other sharp instruments. It may also be transmitted between a mother and her infant during pregnancy, childbirth and breastfeeding.

How many people are living with HIV?

According to estimates by WHO and the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS), worldwide an estimated 34 million people were living with HIV at the end of 2010; some 2.7 million became newly infected, and 1.8 million died of AIDS.

What is the HIV/AIDS situation in Europe?

HIV infection remains a major public health concern in Europe, with evidence of increasing transmission in several European countries.

According to estimates by WHO and the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS):

• The estimated number of people living with HIV in Europe was 2 340 000 in 2010.
• The estimated number of people living with HIV in western and central Europe grew from 630 000 [range: 580 000–690 000] in 2001 to 840 000 [range: 770 000–930 000] in 2010.
• The estimated number of people living with HIV in eastern Europe and central Asia grew from 410 000 [range: 340 000–490 000] in 2001 to 1.5 million [range: 1.3–1.7 million] in 2010.
• Since 2001, there has been a 250% increase in the number of people living with HIV in eastern Europe and central Asia.
• An estimated 30 000 [range: 22 000–39 000] people in western and central Europe were newly infected with HIV in 2010.
• An estimated 160 000 [range: 110 000–200 000] people in eastern Europe and central Asia were newly infected with HIV in 2010.
• Incidence is accelerating in eastern Europe and central Asia after having slowed in the early 2000s.
• Russian Federation and Ukraine account for nearly 90% of the estimated number of people newly infected with HIV in Europe.
• In 2010, an estimated 9900 [range: 8 900–11 000] adults and children died of AIDS, down from the estimated 10 000 [range: 9 500–11 000] in 2001 in western and central Europe.
• However, between 2001 and 2010, estimated AIDS-related deaths increased more than 11-fold in eastern Europe and central Asia (from about 7800 [range: 6 000 - 11 000] to 90 000 [range: 74 000 - 110 000]).

Because of low access to and uptake of HIV testing and counselling, especially among the populations most at risk of infection and transmission, all HIV cases in Europe are not diagnosed. Therefore, the estimated number of infections differs, sometimes substantially, from the number of diagnosed cases captured by national surveillance system. WHO European Region has a comprehensive HIV/AIDS surveillance network in which all countries annually report data and statistics on diagnosed cases WHO/Europe and the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC):

• In 2010, 118 335 newly diagnosed cases of HIV infection were reported  to WHO/Europe and ECDC by 51 of the 53 countries in the WHO European Region (data not available from Austria and Monaco; in addition, data not available from Liechtenstein, which is not a WHO/Europe Member State).
• The countries in the East reported 76% of new cases, 22% were reported in the West and 2% in the Centre.
• The highest rates were reported from Russian Federation (44.1 per 100 000), Ukraine (36.4 per 100 000) and Estonia (27.8 per 100 000).
• Although the main transmission routes for the virus vary by geographical area, HIV in all European countries disproportionally affects populations that are socially marginalised (such as migrants) and people whose behaviour is socially stigmatized (such as men who have sex with men) or illegal (such as people who inject drugs).
• In eastern Europe and central Asia 43% of cases newly reported in 2010 were people who inject drugs, slightly less than the 48% heterosexual cases.
• In recent years the East has experienced an increasing proportion of heterosexually transmitted HIV cases likely associated with sexual transmission from drug injectors.
• The proportion of cases among men who have sex with men in the East is low and likely to be under reported.
• In the western part of the Region, the epidemic remains concentrated among men who have sex with men (accounting for 39% of newly diagnosed cases in 2010) and migrants from countries with generalized epidemics (accounting for at least one third of heterosexually acquired infections).