•    HIV stands for Human Immunodeficiency Virus. This is the virus
known to cause AIDS (Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome). If someone is
HIV-positive, it means they have been infected with the virus.

•   
HIV is transmitted through body fluids in particular blood, semen,
vaginal secretions and breast milk. The most common route of
transmission in Australia is unprotected sexual intercourse.

•   
In 2010, 206 Queenslanders were diagnosed with HIV infection. This is
the highest number of HIV notifications reported since 1984.

•   
Consistent with previous years, males continued to comprise the
majority (174 or 84%) of new HIV notifications in Queensland in 2010.
The average age of males notified with HIV in 2010 was 37 years.

•    The majority of males newly notified with HIV in 2010 were men who have sex with men (75%).

News coverage of World AIDS Day Queensland

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•    In 2010, there were 32 new HIV notifications in females in Queensland. There were 20 notifications in females in 2009. Almost 60% of females diagnosed in 2010 reported origin from a high prevalence country, the highest annual number reported for this exposure on record. An additional 28% of females had a heterosexual risk exposure.

•    There were seven new HIV notifications in 2010 in Indigenous people in Queensland. The HIV notification rate in Indigenous people in Queensland is generally similar to the rate in non-Indigenous people.

•    Since 2005 in Queensland there has been an increasing trend in HIV notifications in people from a high prevalence country. In 2005 there were 7 notifications, rising to 30 notifications in 2010. The list of countries with high prevalence of HIV can be found on the UNAIDS website at: www.unaids.org

•    Survival rates in Australia for those notified with HIV since the mid 1990s are better than those notified prior to the mid 1990s. This is predominantly due to advances in treatment.

•    In 2010, there were 22 notifications of new AIDS diagnoses in Queensland.

•    Generally, the AIDS notification rate has remained stable since 2006, and is less than 20% of the peak period of the early 1990s. This may be due to the use of effective antiretroviral treatment. 

•    An estimated 1,893 people living with HIV/AIDS were accessing care in Queensland in 2010.

•    Globally the number of people living with HIV has risen from around 8 million in 1990 to 33 million today, and is still growing. Around 67% of people living with HIV are in Sub-Saharan Africa.

•    HIV/AIDS is one of the biggest social, economic and health challenges in the world. It is a global emergency claiming over 5,000 lives every day.

•    The international theme for World AIDS Day 2011 is 'HIV is still here'.

•    For more information go to: www.healh.qld.gov.au, www.unaids.org.