Although the epidemiologic data show that HIV infection
has, in mostly the main, stabilized in the western part of
Europe, HIV continues to constitute one of the major medical
problems in the region. This paper aims to give an overview
of the prevalence of HIV in Europe in general, but also
primarily in its various regions, as well as among its various
population groups. The approach is justified by the
underlying philosophy that means of fighting HIV should,
first and foremost, be directed to those parts of the population
that are most exposed to the risk of HIV infection.
According to estimates by the World Health Organization
(WHO) and Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS,
in 2011, the number of people living with HIV in Europe and
Central Asia was 2,300,000.1 This is more than twice the
2001 figure. Europe/Central Asia is one of only two regions
in which HIV infections continue to increase
The estimated
prevalence rate in the west and center of the region, however,
has remained stable at 0.2%.2
The increase has thus primarily occurred in the eastern parts
of the region, where the prevalence rate of HIV infection among
adults has increased to an estimated 0.9% in 2010, which is
three times the 2001 figure. The eastern parts of the region have
some of the fastest-growing epidemics in the world
The estimated number of new cases began accelerating in
Eastern Europe and Central Asia in the late 2000s after
having remained relatively stable for several years.3 Two
countries in the region (Estonia, Russian Federation) have
adult (15-49 years old) HIV prevalence rates that exceed
1%.3 The Russian Federation and Ukraine account for almost
90% of the Eastern Europe/Central Asia region’s epidemic.