170219 20260407115449.0 doi 10.1016/j.ijid.2024.107076 sideral 148709 ART-2024-148709 eng de Mendoza, Carmen The incidence of HIV-2 infection in Spain is declining – a registry data analysis 2024 Objectives HIV-2 infection is a neglected disease caused by a human retrovirus that causes AIDS more slowly than HIV-1. Infection with HIV-2 is endemic in West Africa. Given its differential features, guidelines recommend ruling out HIV-2 infection in all newly diagnosed HIV-seropositive individuals. Methods A national registry of HIV-2 cases was created in Spain in 1989, following the first report of three HIV-2+ individuals in Barcelona. The main demographics, clinical, and virological data are reported up to December 2023. Results A total of 424 individuals with HIV-2 infection were recorded in the Spanish registry. After a peak in 2009 when 31 cases were reported, new HIV-2 diagnoses steadily decreased. Less than 10 cases/year have been notified since the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2023, only eight cases were reported. Mean age at HIV-2 diagnosis was 44 years old, ranging from birth to 83 years. A total of 265 (62.5%) were male. Migrants predominated, being 322 (76%) Sub-Saharan Africans; however, 60 (14.2%) were native Spaniards. Heterosexual exposure was the most likely route of infection in at least 287 (67.7%) cases. A few cases could be traced to transfusions (n = 4), vertical infection (n = 2), or injection drug use (n = 7). In addition, 15 individuals (3.5%) were men who had sex with men. Coinfection with HIV-1 was recognized in 39 (9.2%) individuals. Molecular characterization of HIV-2 subtypes was performed in 139 individuals, 121 being infected with subtype A and 18 with subtype B. Conclusion The annual incidence of HIV-2 infection in Spain has decreased after peaking 15 years ago, being the current number of cases below 10 per year. Three-quarters are African migrants, and two-thirds are male. Circulation of HIV-2 in Spain is limited and steadily decreasing. Access copy available to the general public Unrestricted info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess by https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/deed.es 4.3 2024 INFECTIOUS DISEASES 24 / 137 = 0.175 2024 Q1 T1 1.323 2024 Infectious Diseases 2024 Q1 Microbiology (medical) 2024 Q1 Medicine (miscellaneous) 2024 Q1 12.6 2024 info:eu-repo/semantics/article info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion Lozano, Ana Belén Rando, Ariadna Nieto, Maria del Carmen Cebollero, Alba Cabezas, Teresa Maciá, María Dolores Cortizo, Sandra Basalobre, Luz Aldamiz, Teresa Pena, María José Soriano, Vicente Spanish HIV-2 Network Benito Ruesca, Rafael Universidad de Zaragoza (orcid)0000-0001-5134-1006 1011 630 Universidad de Zaragoza Dpto. Microb.Ped.Radio.Sal.Pú. Área Microbiología 146 (2024), 107076 [6 pp.] Int. j. infect. dis. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF INFECTIOUS DISEASES 1201-9712 1298960 http://zaguan.unizar.es/record/170219/files/texto_completo.pdf Versión publicada 2061407 http://zaguan.unizar.es/record/170219/files/texto_completo.jpg?subformat=icon icon Versión publicada oai:zaguan.unizar.es:170219 articulos driver 2026-03-26-14:31:57 ARTICLE