Estimated worldwide HIV infections: 48 510 625 as at 10am on Thursday September 12 2002
The number of Aids cases reported in the European Union in 200 is down 11% from the previous year, but infection through heterosexual contact is on the rise, the European Commission warned on Tuesday.
A total of 8210 new cases of Aids were reported in the 15-nation bloc last year, the commission’s statistical office Eurostat said, adding that the total number of Aids victims in the European Union stood at 235 513.
The figures are in contrast to 1994 when a record 24 886 new Aids cases were registered across the European Union.
Drug users represented 39,4 % of new Aids cases while 32,6% were infected through homo/bisexual male contacts and 17,6% through heterosexual contacts.
Eurostat said the proportion of cases from homo/bisexual male contact which exceeded 60% in the first years of the epidemic, fell to 19,6% in 2001. But Aids cases due to heterosexual transmission grew steadily from 8,9% in 1985 to 36,5% in 2001.
Kill the worm: An Israeli, Ethiopian, American and Swedish team of researchers has reported new evidence that treating intestinal worms can lead to a reduction in HIV viral load. The Israeli group, led by Professor Zwi Bentwich at the Hebrew University in Jerusalem, had previously reported similar findings based on treatment given to HIV-positive Ethiopian migrants to Israel. This new evidence is stronger.
Source: www.aidsmap.com, www.redribbon.co.za