This is the dashboard report on HIV and sexually transmitted infections (STI) trends in for the fourth quarter of 2017 (Sept – Dec 2017). These reports are posted quarterly to provide a snapshot of HIV and STIs in British Columbia.
The dashboard below describes the numbers of HIV and STI cases reported to public health in the fourth quarter (Q4) of 2017. The risk factor categories for HIV (MSM, PWID and HET; see table below for definitions) are from the second quarter (Q2) of 2017 due to expected reporting delays.
HIV
There were 52 new diagnoses of HIV reported in BC in 2017 Q4. For 2017, there were 200 new HIV cases total, which represents a 17% reduction from 2016. We are currently confirming these numbers, and exploring possible reasons for the reductions in new HIV diagnoses.
There were 45 cases reported among males and 6 cases among females this quarter. However, overall for 2017, there was a 10% and 50% reduction in new HIV diagnoses among males and females, respectively, compared to 2016.
Among gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men (MSM), heterosexual individuals, and people who report injecting drugs (PWID), there were 26, 11, and less than 5 new HIV diagnoses in 2017 Q4.
Chlamydia
There have been 3,774 cases of chlamydia reported in 2017 Q4. In 2017, there were 15,646 chlamydia cases total. Of these, 6640 were among males and 8979 were among females. Overall, there was a 3% increase in chlamydia cases for 2017 compared to 2016. This increase in chlamydia cases is consistent with the average year-to-year increase in chlamydia cases over the past decade.
Gonorrhea
There were 817 cases of gonorrhea reported in 2017 Q4. In 2017, there were 3,281 gonorrhea cases total, which represents an 11% reduction from 2016. There were 604 cases and 207 cases of gonorrhea reported among males and females, respectively in 2017.
Infectious Syphilis
There have been 166 cases of infectious syphilis reported in BC for 2017 Q4. Overall, there were 685 cases of infectious syphilis reported in 2017, compared to 759 cases reported in 2016. Most cases reported in 2017 were among males (154 cases in 2017), and specifically, among MSM (119 cases). Notably, there was a 23% increase in infectious syphilis cases among people reporting heterosexual exposure in 2017 compared with 2016.