AIDS and HIV infection in Poland in 2002

The cumulative number of AIDS cases diagnosed in Poland from 1986 up to the end of 2002 reached 1273, and 618 AIDS deaths were registered during this time. The yearly number of newly diagnosed cases remained stable (113 in 2002, incidence 0.3 per 100,000), but with 48 reported deaths the downward trend in AIDS mortality, experienced since 1996, was not sustained. Additionally, taking into account the official life statistics data, AIDS deaths might be underreported. In 2002, 574 newly detected HIV infections were reported (incidence 1.5 per 100,000), which is within the range observed in the past years. Injecting drug users constituted the most numerous risk group both among the AIDS cases (56.5%) and the HIV infection cases (31.1%). The proportion of reports of HIV infections with missing information regarding the risk group further increased in 2002, coming up to 55%. In order to monitor the epidemiological situation better quality of data will need to be assured.