HIV / AIDS does not spare young

Despite various prevention strategies, the HIV epidemic in France remains active. Nearly 7000 new infections are recorded every year. Thus, two populations are particularly affected: "men who have sex with men (MSM)" and people from sub-Saharan Africa (in a heterosexual). What about teenagers and young adults? The latest issue of the Weekly Epidemiological Bulletin (BEH) provides an answer.

In 2013, nearly 730 young people aged 15-24 years discovered their HIV status. More than 11% of all findings. Commenting on these data, should be divided into two classes that audience: adolescents (15-17 years) and young adults (18-24 years). And among these, 686 were diagnosed positive. Two-thirds were men, mainly contaminated in a homosexual relationship. In this group precisely, since 2003 the number of new cases has more than doubled.

This increase among MSM seems alarming. The study gay and lesbians Press 2011 has also shown that under 30 seronegative may not adopt a preventive behavior during casual sex.

For their part, young women have almost exclusively been infected through heterosexual intercourse. Injectable drugs are responsible "only" 0.4% of new cases.

Finally, for all of these young adults, a majority is detected at an asymptomatic stage, 14% however, the diagnosis is late (at a particular stage AIDS).

Teenagers spared?

The 15-17 years seem less concerned. In 10 years (between 2003 and 2013), 524 of them have learned their HIV status (65% girls). Nearly 6% of these discoveries were related to transmission from mother to child, diagnosed late.

Given these facts and in a context of trivialization of the disease, "it is important to continue and encourage preventive actions against adolescents and young adults. This requires projects integrating sexual health issues (HIV, STIs, unwanted pregnancies ...) and specific actions among young MSM, "insist the authors of the BEH. "Young people are a favorite target in the fight against the HIV epidemic. As such, they have a program to promote sexual health developed by the INPES. Which is based in particular on the free availability through professional associations and relay information brochures and prevention material (condoms and lubricant gels). "