The incidence of HIV-2 infection in Spain is declining – a registry data analysis
de Mendoza, Carmen ; 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)
Resumen: 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.
Idioma: Inglés
DOI: 10.1016/j.ijid.2024.107076
Año: 2024
Publicado en: INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF INFECTIOUS DISEASES 146 (2024), 107076 [6 pp.]
ISSN: 1201-9712
Factor impacto JCR: 4.3 (2024)
Categ. JCR: INFECTIOUS DISEASES rank: 24 / 137 = 0.175 (2024) - Q1 - T1
Factor impacto CITESCORE: 12.6 - Microbiology (medical) (Q1) - Infectious Diseases (Q1)
Factor impacto SCIMAGO: 1.323 - Infectious Diseases (Q1) - Microbiology (medical) (Q1) - Medicine (miscellaneous) (Q1)
Tipo y forma: Article (Published version)
Área (Departamento): Área Microbiología (Dpto. Microb.Ped.Radio.Sal.Pú.)
You must give appropriate credit, provide a link to the license, and indicate if changes were made. You may do so in any reasonable manner, but not in any way that suggests the licensor endorses you or your use.
Exportado de SIDERAL (2026-03-26-14:31:57)
Visitas y descargas
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.
Idioma: Inglés
DOI: 10.1016/j.ijid.2024.107076
Año: 2024
Publicado en: INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF INFECTIOUS DISEASES 146 (2024), 107076 [6 pp.]
ISSN: 1201-9712
Factor impacto JCR: 4.3 (2024)
Categ. JCR: INFECTIOUS DISEASES rank: 24 / 137 = 0.175 (2024) - Q1 - T1
Factor impacto CITESCORE: 12.6 - Microbiology (medical) (Q1) - Infectious Diseases (Q1)
Factor impacto SCIMAGO: 1.323 - Infectious Diseases (Q1) - Microbiology (medical) (Q1) - Medicine (miscellaneous) (Q1)
Tipo y forma: Article (Published version)
Área (Departamento): Área Microbiología (Dpto. Microb.Ped.Radio.Sal.Pú.)
You must give appropriate credit, provide a link to the license, and indicate if changes were made. You may do so in any reasonable manner, but not in any way that suggests the licensor endorses you or your use. Exportado de SIDERAL (2026-03-26-14:31:57)
Permalink:
Visitas y descargas
Este artículo se encuentra en las siguientes colecciones:
Articles > Artículos por área > Microbiología
Record created 2026-03-26, last modified 2026-04-07