A study in the US has led to calls for greater HIV vigilence in prisons in Europe.
The study shows that HIV has been passed among inmates in prisons in Georgia – 88 prisoners who were HIV-negative on entering prison were HIV-positive in a subsequent. The HIV rate among the US prison population is estimated at around 2%. Given the far higher base rates in some European countries - 11% of Portugal’s prisoners are thought to be HIV positive, for example, and 12% of Estonian inmates – this suggests there could be worryingly high-levels of infection in some parts of Europe despite efforts to reduce syringe-sharing.
