Rise in Over 50s HIV Infections
posted: 21/07/2010
People over 50 are as much at risk from unsafe sex as younger people, the UK’s Health Protection Agency (HPA) has just warned. Today it revealed evidence, at the International AIDS Conference in Vienna, that the number of people over 50 who are catching HIV has more than doubled in seven years.
In 2000 there were just 299 new HIV infections among the over-50s, according to the HPA. But in 2007 there were 710 people infected.
Gay and bi men are the majority infected when older, but white heterosexual men infected abroad - typically in Thailand - are another significant group of older men who are diagnosed.
Late diagnosis common
Half of those diagnosed when over 50 were diagnosed late. Younger people are much less likely to be diagnosed late. Late diagnosis is bad news when you are older - during the eight year study period three quarters of the deaths among people aged 50 and over occurred within one year of the diagnosis, with half of those diagnosed late. Unfortunately, late diagnosis with HIV reduces people's life expectancy and quality of life. If treatment is started late it cannot undo all the unnoticed damage already caused by HIV.
Some people diagnosed after 50 were infected when they were younger. After some early symptoms (such as flu-like symptoms with a rash), many people after HIV infection remain apparently fit, healthy and continue to feel well, without suspecting they have HIV, for as long as 10 years.
Most are recently infected by risky sex
But half of the over-50s diagnosed had recently been infected, through taking chances without condoms.
Getting away with risks in your earlier years doesn't mean that luck will continue.
Letting down your guard just because you are older can still catch anyone out. We often hear older people say, rather sheepishly, 'I should have known better'.
Keep on testing - and condoms
"This highlights the importance of HIV testing, whatever your age," said Ruth Smith, a senior HIV scientist at the HPA's Centre for Infections. "We must continually reinforce the safe sex message – using a condom with all new or casual partners is the surest way to ensure people do not become infected with a serious sexually transmitted infection such as HIV."
Her co-author, Dr Valerie Delpech, head of HIV surveillance at the HPA, said people in the older age group needed to be aware that they were just as much at risk as young people if they had unsafe sex.
"Although adults aged 50 and over account for just 8% of all new HIV diagnoses, the fact that cases have more than doubled in recent years serves as a timely reminder that anybody is at risk of HIV infection if they do not use protection and practise safe sex," she said.
More information from HPA
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