7,298 people have so far been reported as newly diagnosed with HIV during 2008 but the final figure may be higher. This information is based on HIV diagnoses made in 2008 reported to the Health Protection Agency by 15 July 2009.
How has this been changing over time?
Significant numbers of people are being diagnosed with HIV each year, although the numbers are now leveling off.
The 2008 figure represents a decline on the peak of diagnosis observed in 2005 (7,975). The HPA attributes this decline largely to fewer reports of diagnoses among people who acquired their infection heterosexually abroad, particularly black African women.
The percentage shows the change compared to the previous year.
What about people of different genders?
The majority of people newly diagnosed with HIV are male.
| Gender | % of total newly diagnosed as HIV positive in the UK during 2008 |
| Male | 63% |
| Female | 37% |
This information is based on the Health Protection Agency’s figures for people diagnosed with HIV during 2008, as reported to them by 15 July 2009, as seen in their HIV in the United Kingdom: 2009 Report:: 4,614 males and 2,684 females.
What about people in different probable exposure categories?
Of those newly diagnosed in 2008, more are estimated to have been infected through heterosexual sex than sex between men. However since the population of men who have sex with men (MSM) is much smaller than the heterosexual population the prevalence rate of HIV infection is much higher amongst MSM.
| Probable exposure category | % of total newly diagnosed as HIV positive in the UK during 2008 |
| Heterosexual contact | 58% |
| Sex between men | 38% |
| Injecting drug use | 2% |
| Mother-to-child transmission | 2% |
| | 100% |
This data is based on estimations by the HPA in 2008 following adjusting for missing information relating to cases reported, sourced from their HIV New Diagnoses Quarterly Surveillance Tables: Table 2 and their HIV in the United Kingdom: 2009 Report.
Of those newly diagnosed there is a large difference between exposure categories as to where the infection is thought to have been acquired. Of heterosexuals newly diagnosed in 2008, it is estimated that only 27% acquired their infection in the UK. Of men who have sex with men newly diagnosed in 2008 83% are estimated to have acquired their infection in the UK. This means that, of infections that occur in the UK, more than twice as many are transmitted by sex between men (2,280) as are transmitted by heterosexual sex (1,130).
The proportion of heterosexuals newly diagnosed with HIV that are estimated to have been infected in the UK has risen substantially to 27% In 2008 from 12% in 2003.
This data is based on estimations by the HPA in 2008 following adjusting for missing information relating to cases reported, sourced from their HIV New Diagnoses Quarterly Surveillance Tables: Table 2 and their HIV in the United Kingdom: 2009 Report.
Of those newly diagnosed with HIV in the UK who acquired their infection heterosexually, the proportion that acquired their infection in the UK has risen from 12% in 2003 to 27% in 2008.
The percentage shows the proportion infected in the UK of those who acquired their infection heterosexually.
This data is based on estimations by the HPA in 2008 following adjusting for missing information relating to cases reported, sourced from their HIV New Diagnoses Quarterly Surveillance Tables: Table A.
What about people of different ethnicities?
The number of white people and the number of black African people who were diagnosed as HIV positive in the UK during 2008 was relatively equal. However, since the population of black African people living in the UK is much smaller than the population of white people, this means that the prevalence rate of HIV infection amongst the black Africans is much greater than for white people.
| Ethnicity | % of those newly diagnosed as HIV positive in the UK during 2008 |
| White | 43% |
| Black African | 36% |
| Black Caribbean | 3% |
| Other/Mixed | 9% |
| Unknown | 9% |
| | 100% |
This information is based on HIV diagnoses made in 2008 reported to the Health Protection Agency by 15 July 2009, calculated from the HPA’s HIV New Diagnoses Quarterly Surveillance Tables: Table 10.
How does the breakdown by probable exposure category and ethnicity vary by gender?
Men
Just over half of newly diagnosed men acquired their infection through sex between men and nearly 60% are white.
| Probable exposure category | % of total men newly diagnosed as HIV positive in the UK during 2008 |
| Men who have sex with men | 52.7% |
| Heterosexual contact | 31.1% |
| Injecting drug use | 2.5% |
| Mother to child transmission | 1% |
| Blood/blood products recipient | 0.2% |
| Other/Unknown | 12.5% |
| | 100% |
| Ethnicity | % of total men newly diagnosed as HIV positive in the UK during 2008 |
| White | 59% |
| Black African | 20% |
| Black Caribbean | 3% |
| Other/Mixed | 10% |
| Unknown | 8% |
| | 12.5% |
This information is based on HIV diagnoses made in 2008 reported to the Health Protection Agency by 15 July 2009, calculated from the HPA’s HIV New Diagnoses Quarterly Surveillance Tables: Table 2 and Table 10.
Women
The vast majority of newly diagnosed women are infected through heterosexual sex, and nearly two thirds of newly diagnosed women are black African.
| Probable exposure category | % of total women newly diagnosed as HIV positive in the UK during 2008 |
| Heterosexual | 85% |
| Injecting drug use | 1.3% |
| Mother to child transmission | 1.8% |
| Blood/blood products recipient | 0.3% |
| Other/Unknown | 11.6% |
| | 100% |
| Ethnicity | % of total women newly diagnosed as HIV positive in the UK during 2008 |
| White | 14% |
| Black African | 64% |
| Black Caribbean | 3% |
| Other/Mixed | 9% |
| Unknown | 10% |
| | 100% |
This information is based on HIV diagnoses made in 2008 reported to the Health Protection Agency by 15 July 2009, calculated from the HPA’s HIV New Diagnoses Quarterly Surveillance Tables: Table 2 and Table 10.
What about people of different ages?
Over two-thirds of people newly diagnosed with HIV are aged between 25 and 44, but over 10% are under 25.
| | % of total newly diagnosed as HIV positive in the UK during 2008 |
| Under 15 | 1% |
| 15-24 | 10% |
| 25-34 | 36% |
| 35-44 | 32% |
| 45-54 | 15% |
| 55 and over | 6% |
| | 100% |
This information is based on HIV diagnoses made in 2008 reported to the Health Protection Agency by 15 July 2009, calculated from the HPA’s HIV New Diagnoses Quarterly Surveillance Tables: Table 6.
What about people in the different nations of the UK?
The vast majority of people newly diagnosed with HIV in the UK live in England.
| Nation | % of total newly diagnosed as HIV positive in the UK during 2008 |
| England | 92% |
| Scotland | 5% |
| Wales | 2% |
| Northern Ireland | 1% |
| | 100% |
This information is based on HIV diagnoses made in 2008 reported to the Health Protection Agency by 15 July 2009, calculated from the HPA’s HIV New Diagnoses Quarterly Surveillance Tables: Table 3.
What about people in the different regions within England?
Over two-fifths of all people newly diagnosed with HIV in the UK live in London.
| Region | % of total newly diagnosed as HIV positive in the UK during 2008 |
| London | 42% |
| West Midlands | 7% |
| East of England | 6% |
| North West | 8% |
| South East Coastal | 6% |
| Yorkshire and The Humber | 6% |
| East Midlands | 5% |
| South Central | 6% |
| South West | 4% |
| North East | 2% |
| Total England | 92% |
This information is based on HIV diagnoses made in 2008 reported to the Health Protection Agency by 15 July 2009, calculated from the HPA’s HIV New Diagnoses Quarterly Surveillance Tables: Table 3.