DRUG COMBINATIONS REDUCE AIDS CASES

NEW combination drug therapies have caused a dramatic reduction in the
number of AIDS cases diagnosed in Australia - with just over 400 new cases
reported in 1997.

The annual surveillance report of HIV/AIDS and Related Diseases In
Australia, released yesterday, shows 11,150 people were living with HIV
infection and 2190 with AIDS by the end of last year.

Since the first case of AIDS was diagnosed in Australia in November 1982,
there have been 18,743 HIV Infections, 7923 AIDS cases and 5732 deaths.

The report also shows that health warnings, needle exchange and other
prevention programs have helped cut hepatitis C transmission among young
injecting drug users from 34 per cent to 13 per cent.

While hepatitis C rates have slowly declined from a peak in 1994, it remains
the most commonly notified AIDS-related condition with more than 18,500
diagnoses notified last year. In comparison, there were 787 HIV diagnoses
and 4285 new gonorrhoea cases.

The report, by the National Centre for HIV Epidemiology and Clinical
Research in Sydney, shows the transmission of HIV continues overwhelmingly
to occur via gay sex.

The centre's deputy director, John Kaldor, said an additional 400 to 500
cases of HIV among gay men could be going undetected each year.

In addition, about 20 per cent of gay men were having unprotected anal
intercourse with casual partners.

Professor Kaldor said the picture for people with HIV Infections was
positive compared with a few years ago.

New anti-viral medications - now taken by 80 per cent of HIV Infected
people - acted to reduce viral load, restore immune function and prevent the
onset of illness and death.

The report found that 8 per cent of HIV diagnoses occur among people with a
history of injecting drugs.

Checked-by: Don Beck