Document 0678
 DOCN  M94A0678
 TI    Changing pattern of HIV diagnosis in Victoria. The Victorian
       Collaborative Group on HIV and AIDS Surveillance.
 DT    9412
 AU    Stevenson E; Crofts N; Gertig D; Breschkin A; Macfarlane Burnet Centre
       for Medical Research, Fairfield.
 SO    Annu Conf Australas Soc HIV Med. 1993 Oct 28-30;5:43 (abstract no. FE2).
       Unique Identifier : AIDSLINE ASHM5/94348977
 AB    OBJECTIVES: To describe changes in the pattern of HIV diagnosis in
       Victoria. METHODS: Data, including exposure category, are collected on
       all Victorians newly diagnosed with HIV infection. For those cases not
       attributed to homosexual contact exposure is further clarified with the
       patient's doctor. RESULTS: For 1986 to 1991 the number of HIV diagnoses
       in Victoria was stable at around 300 per year, with approximately 80% of
       infection occurring in men reporting homosexual contact. In 1992 the
       annual number of new diagnoses had declined to 269, compared with 311
       for 1991. Men reporting homosexual contact made up 75% (n = 196) of new
       diagnoses in 1992 (excluding unknowns) as compared with 83% (n = 245) in
       1991 (p = 0.01). There was an increase in the number (and proportion) of
       diagnoses attributed to heterosexual contact, from 32 (10.3%) in 1991 to
       45 (16.7%) in 1992. The number of women diagnosed has also increased in
       recent years from 14 during 1991 to 24 during 1992, while the number of
       diagnoses associated with either injecting drug use (IDU) or sexual
       contact with IDUs remains low at 6% for 1991 and 7% for 1992.
       CONCLUSION: Changes in the pattern of the epidemic in Victoria are
       evident in the increasing proportion of new diagnoses not attributed to
       either homosexual contact or injecting drug use, a factor which makes
       targeting prevention campaigns increasingly difficult. The declining
       number of new diagnoses in homosexual men may reflect the fact that many
       of those men infected in the early 1980's have either developed illness
       or presented for testing.
 DE    Adolescence  Adult  Aged  Disease Outbreaks  Female  Human  HIV
       Infections/*DIAGNOSIS/EPIDEMIOLOGY/TRANSMISSION  HIV
       Seroprevalence/*TRENDS  Incidence  Male  Middle Age
       Victoria/EPIDEMIOLOGY  MEETING ABSTRACT

       SOURCE: National Library of Medicine.  NOTICE: This material may be
       protected by Copyright Law (Title 17, U.S.Code).