HIV: over two thousand new infections, we need an alliance for testing and against stigma
60% of cases diagnosed at an advanced stage: EUR 5 million allocated but need to speed up prevention and multidisciplinary care
3' min read
Key points
3' min read
In Italy today there are approximately 140,000 people living with HIV-1 infection with a prevalence of 2 per 1,000 residents and in 2023 more than 2,200 new infections were reported, 60% of which were diagnosed at an advanced stage. The life expectancy of people living with HIV infection in Italy is similar to that of the general population, but the disease-free life expectancy is definitely lower, in particular due to the increase in cardiovascular diseases (the incidence is double that of the general population) and cancers, especially those attributable to oncogenic viruses. These complications are largely attributable to the persistent chronic inflammation and premature ageing intrinsically linked to HIV infection and persisting despite full control of viral replication.
At the ICAR 2025 congress, organised under the aegis of the Italian Society of Infectious and Tropical Diseases, which brought together more than 1,200 clinicians, researchers and the community in Padua, not only HIV but also sexually transmitted infections (e.g. syphilis, gonorrhoea) were discussed, because we are also observing in our country an explosive increase in the number of new diagnoses, a veritable silent epidemic that deserves our full attention.
2025 is an important year: the National Plan of Action to End HIV, Viral Hepatitis and Sexually Transmitted Diseases (NAP HIV-EP-IST) currently before the State-Regions Conference has been finalised, and with the Budget Law 2025, EUR 5 million have been allocated for the implementation of prevention and treatment interventions.
The priorities are clear.
Reduce the risk of acquiring HIV infection
.As of May 2023, PrEP, the oral pre-exposure prophylaxis for people at risk, the most effective prevention tool to date, will also be available in Italy. In the last year there has been a 43% increase in the use of oral PrEP, there are more than 16,000 people undergoing treatment, but there are great disparities between regions and territories. Access to PrEP is low in the female population even though in the last year 24 % of new infections were documented in women and access to PrEP is now limited by a predominantly hospital-based distribution. We now have new therapeutic options that are clearly superior in terms of efficacy to prevent HIV infection, the long-acting drugs that can be injected intramuscularly or subcutaneously, and we hope that they will soon be authorised and reimbursed in Italy as well.
