HIV This Week

Chokoshvili O, Abutidze A, Tsintsadze M, Gatserelia L, Badridze N. Overview of HIV epidemiological situation in Georgia. Georgian Med News. 2008;(165):87-94.

Georgia still belongs to the low HIV epidemic countries and by December 1 st, 2008 there were 1825 HIV cases registered at the Institute of Drug Addiction (IDACIRC) with an estimated number of 3500-4000 (estimated prevalence 0.09%). Majority of HIV patients are male (75%). Four hundred and sixty one patients were receiving antiretroviral treatment, including 23 children. Despite low HIV prevalence, Georgia is considered to be at risk for imminent epidemic spread of HIV mainly due to widespread drug use with high risk practices (needle-reuse), high levels of sexually transmitted infections, and migration to Russia, Ukraine, and other countries, and vice versa. The major route of HIV transmission is associated with drug injecting. At the moment approximately 60% of all reported HIV cases are due to drug injection. However, the heterosexual route of transmission has been gaining in importance, and increased from 29.1% to 36.1% for last five years. The first significant increases of HIV incidence were observed from 1999 to 2000 (2.24 times) and 2003 to 2004. From 2004 incidence has been relatively stable at 6.5-7/100,000. Most HIV positive patients are diagnosed at the age from 25 to 45. The highest HIV prevalence rates are found in Western Georgia, particularly Black Sea coast regions - Megrelia and Adjara (with prevalence of 131.11 and 132.03 among adult HIV cases per 100 000 adult population). Expanding educational activities and prevention interventions, including harm reduction and access to condoms, better financing of HIV programs, and improvement of capacity building will help the country to keep its HIV epidemic at a low prevalence and give it the possibility of achieving “Universal Access to HIV Prevention, Treatment, Care and Support” for 2010 year.

Editors' note: Georgia began responding to HIV in 1994 and introduced universal access to antiretroviral treatment and care in 2004. No case of mother-to-child HIV transmission has been detected since the prevention of mother-to-child transmission programme was introduced in 2005. Its big challenge will be to reduce HIV transmission due to contaminated injecting equipment as the numbers of people who inject drugs continues to increase in seaside and border locations. Effective harm reduction programmes will be crucial to Georgia’s success in achieving universal access.