Report: 98 new AIDS cases reported in Luxembourg

Luxembourg's AIDS Monitoring Committee is worried, as the country registered 98 new cases of HIV infection in 2016. And drug addicts are of particular concern for the country's health authorities.

A report presented by the committee on Wednesday shows that 1,065 people are infected in Luxembourg and that 13% of those who are infected are unaware of it.

The main mode of contamination remains heterosexual relationships (39 new cases in 2016), followed by homosexual and bisexual relationships (32) and intravenous drug use (21).

As in previous years, 26 to 35 year olds are most at risk.

Used syringes 

According to the report, the chief concern of health authorities is drug contamination.

Since 2014, the number of new cases among intravenous drug users has been increasing. 

Between January 2013 and December 2016, 67 new cases were identified.

In response, the Ministry of Health is to enact a number of complementary prevention strategies under the new national AIDS action plan. 

PrEP reimbursement

Pre-sexual prophylaxis (PrEP) is a drug for HIV-negative patients that can be taken continuously or occasionally.

It is widely used in the homosexual community and is very expensive.

It has the effect of protecting the user from the AIDS virus when he or she has sex with a person who is infected, or engages in risky sexual behavior.

"It costs €500 for the 30 tablets, a considerable sum," said Dr Vic Arendt of the Infectious Diseases Department.

"Since April 1, the drug has been reimbursed by the CNS, and 15 people have applied for it.

"This reimbursement is part of the measures tested during the pilot project, which will last for two years.

"As a result of this, an assessment will be made by the Ministries of Social Security and Health to see if the demand is strong enough to justify ongoing reimbursement for the medication."

(By Orlandi Virginie, translated from French by Barbara Tasch)