Assessment of epidemiological situation - Italy

HIV testing and case reporting: Testing is mandatory in blood donors and systematically proposed in STD clinics and IDU treatment centres. There are several regional HIV case reporting systems (e.g. Lazio (region of Rome), Veneto) In Lazio, numbers of HIV cases diagnosed in IDU decreased markedly from 925 in 1989 to 190 in 1997. HIV prevalence: UAT surveys have been conducted in newborns in all regions since 1989. Prevalence varied greatly by regions. In most of the population tested, prevalence is higher in Lazio, Lombardia (region of Milan)), Emilia and Liguria than most other regions. In addition, prevalence is higher in all regions of the north comparing to the south in all populations tested except blood donors, where the opposite is observed. Geographical variations are even stronger in IDU where prevalence in the same region varied from 9% to 48% in 1985-86 in small cities. Prevalence slowly decreased from 1990 to 1992 in pregnant women nationally although mostly due to a decline in prevalence in Lazio and Lombardia. In IDUs, prevalence has decreased in all regions except Sardegna. A decrease even stronger in incidence has been observed in cohort studies.