Jump in HIV cases sparks epidemic fear

Record numbers of positive HIV tests this year have sexual health workers fearing the spread of an HIV/Aids epidemic.

Forty-eight new cases of HIV have been reported in the central region - the lower North Island - this year, compared with 18 last year, figures from the Aids epidemiology group based at Otago University Medical School show. Three new Aids cases were notified in the region.

Belinda Rogers, the MidCentral Health clinical nurse specialist for sexual health services, said rising rates of other sexually transmitted infections in the community meant a large population was at risk.

Conditions were right for the epidemic to take hold, given evidence of unsafe sex practices and increasing numbers of people contracting other sexually transmitted infections.

"We have increasing rates of chlamydia and trichomoniasis locally and nationally.

"That's alarming, not just because it shows people aren't using condoms, but because pre-existing infections increase the chances of transmission of HIV.

"And what worries us even more is that about 50 per cent of the people who have those infections don't even know they have them."

The Health Ministry launched a $4 million campaign this week to help avert an HIV/Aids epidemic.

Acting director of public health Douglas Lush said sexually active people needed to know the rate of infections was increasing and how to protect themselves.

Unprotected sex between men remained the highest risk behaviour for HIV transmission, accounting for more than three-quarters of infections.

Women were most likely to be infected by a person from a country with a higher prevalence of HIV.

- NZPA