site.btaMen are 85% of HIV Positive Bulgarians

Sofia, November 21 (BTA) - Men are 85 per cent of HIV positive people in Bulgaria, epidemiologist Prof. Hristo Takov said at an event attended by journalists.

The newly diagnosed cases are most numerous in the largest cities of Sofia, Plovdiv and Varna, but the infection has spread across the country. The proportion of newly diagnosed men has spiked in the last ten years. The HIV virus has been found mainly in the 20-40 age group but typically, the infection goes undiagnosed for five or six years. Prof. Takov said young people should learn about STD prevention in school.

The likely number of HIV positive Bulgarians is about 3,500, less than the European average. Those officially registered are 2,762, with 200 new cases diagnosed every year.

Prof. Todor Kantardjiev, Director of the National Center of Infectious and Parasitic Diseases, called for further advances in diagnosis and therapy and for regular monitoring of people with AIDS.