In Italy today just over 140 thousand people live with HIV, of which around 10 thousand are unaware of their infection status. Every year in our country 2 thousand new cases of HIV are recorded. In 2022 the National Surveillance System of the Higher Institute of Health (ISS) reported 1,888 new diagnoses. 58% of these diagnoses are in an advanced stage of the disease, as a result of the still very high diagnostic delay. These are the data recalled by the INMI Spallanzani of Rome on the occasion of the European Testing Week, the European week of testing against HIV and other sexually transmitted infections. Spallanzani, from 20 to 27 May, opens to rapid tests – without reservation – anonymous and free for HIV, HCV and syphilis. Furthermore, in the afternoon, doctors and nurses from the institute will go to the offices of the associations and bodies involved, where they will support the test offering and counseling initiatives actively promoted on site.
“In the Lazio region, 293 new HIV diagnoses were notified in 2022, over 60% in an advanced stage, for an incidence of 4.8 per 100 thousand residents, higher than the national average (3.2 per 100 thousand), which is still highest in the city of Rome (5.2 per 100 thousand). The Lazio region and the city of Rome are respectively the region and the city with the highest incidence in Italy – underlines the INMI -. Approximately 6,500 people with HIV were treated at the HIV clinic of INMI Spallanzani on antiretroviral therapy and every year between 150 and 180 people with a new diagnosis of HIV are taken in to start therapy and continue follow-up”. Every year approximately 350 hospitalizations for people with HIV with a full-blown disease (AIDS).
Spallanzani follows “over 1,200 high-risk HIV-negative people who receive pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) with antiretrovirals and carry out counseling and monitoring of the HIV test and other sexually transmitted infections such as syphilis, gonorrhea, chlamydia”. Over the last year, over 6,700 HIV tests and 250 post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) interventions with antiretrovirals were carried out at Spallanzani on people with risk exposure.
To promote the culture of testing and screening, moments of aggregation, scientific information and discussion are planned in each of the locations. Finally, on the afternoon of 27 May, the closing day of the European Testing Week, a scientific and social event shared with all the associations participating in the initiative will be held at Spallanzani.
In presenting the initiative, Andrea Antinori, director of the Clinical Department and of the Viral Immunodeficiencies UOC, commented: “We wanted to characterize this week with a structured program of active testing, counseling and communication on prevention tools which will involve the associations fighting HIV with which we have a strong collaborative relationship. The program – he added – will be itinerant in the Spallanzani headquarters and in those of the associations where it will be possible to carry out rapid tests for HIV, HCV and syphilis and receive information and counseling on the risks and the tools to prevent them social moments in order to inform and raise awareness among people about the risk of HIV and sexually transmitted diseases, about condoms, about PrEP and PEP and about prevention measures. It will be a moment of communication and discussion to raise awareness of what HIV is today and how to fight it.”
This is the program for the week: from 20th to 27th May Spallanzani from 9am to 1pm (not Sunday 26th May); Monday 20 May from 2.30pm to 6.30pm Be free at Cav Nilde Iotti, via di Grotta Perfetta n. 610; Tuesday 21 May from 5pm to 8pm at Anlaids and from 2.30pm to 6.30pm Inmp; Wednesday 22 May from 5pm to 8pm in via Galvani 51F c/o Roma Checkpoint; Thursday 23 May from 5pm to 8pm Circolo Mario Mieli; Friday 24 May from 5pm to 8pm Checkpoint Plus Rome. Final event at the Spallanzani on Monday 27 May from 3pm to 8pm.
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