Their first ten months of 2024were diagnosed and registered in the National HIV Registry, 550 cases of HIV infection (5.3 per 100,000 population), of which 425 (77.3%) concerned men and 125 (22.7%) women, according to a report by EODY, on the occasion of December 1, International Day against of AIDS.

New HIV diagnoses per 100,000 population for this period ranged at similar levels to the corresponding period in 2023, (550 corresponding to 5.3 cases per 100,000 population), with a prominent age group of 30-39 years.

Until October 31, 2024, they have been registered in the National HIV Registry, 21,199 cases of HIV infection (82% men), of which 4,746 have developed AIDS and 3,574 have died. By 2024, 11,329 people with HIV infection received antiretroviral therapy.

More than half of the cases (55%) recorded in the first ten months of 2024 were diagnosed late.

The higher rates of late diagnosis were noted in heterosexual persons (62.5%), at users of intravenous addictive substances (66.7%) and in the elderly 40-49 and 50+ years old (60.3% and 68.6%, respectively), and lowest among men who have sex with men (41.9%) and among those aged 25-29 (41.9%).

In 2024, low completeness continues to be observed in parameters particularly important for the epidemiological surveillance of HIV infection, such as CD4+ T-lymphocyte values ​​at diagnosis and possible mode of infection.

Most common mode of infection is sexual contact – Increased rate of new diagnoses with unspecified mode of infection

Among the new cases, which took place in the period 01/01/2024 – 31/10/2024, the most frequent mode of infection is sexual contact, mainly among men (30.5% of new diagnoses), while it was observed 20% increase, compared to 2023, in incidents infected through intravenous drug use.

The rate of new diagnoses with an unspecified mode of infection remains high (37.4% of new diagnoses), and exceeds in frequency unprotected sex between men.

Longitudinal data (January – October 2010-2024)

Since the beginning of the monitoring of the epidemic, new HIV diagnoses concern the majority of them to people infected through sex between men and next, heterosexual intercourse. An exception is the time period 2011-2013, during which there was a significant increase in cases infected through the intravenous use of addictive substances.

In particular, in 2012, intravenous drug use was first in frequency (n=486), surpassing sexual intercourse between men (n=311). After 2013, there is a gradual decrease in new HIV cases infected through the intravenous use of addictive substances, without, however, approaching the pre-epidemic levels of HIV in the specific population.

  • In 2024, incidents infected through intravenous drug use increased by 20%, compared to 2023, and by 44.8%, compared to 2022.
  • In 2023 and 2024, the increase observed in HIV cases, for which the mode of transmission has not been determined, is notable.
  • In 2024, HIV diagnoses with unspecified mode of infection (n=206) outnumbered those infected through sexual contact between men (n=168).

Over time, the percentage of new cases with an unspecified mode of infection did not exceed 21%. However, in 2023 and 2024 it reached 37.3% and 37.4%, respectively, which makes it difficult to draw safe conclusions regarding the distribution of mode of infection in new diagnoses.

Throughout the course of the epidemic in our country, the majority of new HIV diagnoses concern people of Greek nationality. In recent years, the absolute number of annual case diagnoses originating from foreign countries has been relatively stable, showing minor fluctuations.

As regards the percentage of persons of foreign nationality among all annual diagnoses with known nationality, over the last five years it ranges from 30% (in 2021) to 41% (in 2020).

As of 2017, the majority of new foreign nationality diagnoses are for people from Sub-Saharan Africa, Central and Eastern Europe.

The age group with the most cases

From the analysis of the new diagnoses of the last 15 years by age group, it appears that the predominant age group at diagnosis is that of 30-39 years, followed by the 40-49 and 50+ years groups. In recent years, there has been an increase in the rate of new diagnoses aged ≥50 years, which in 2023 exceeded those of the 40-49 age group, which historically outnumbered them. However, in 2024, there was a slight increase in the proportion of cases aged 30-39 and a larger one in that of 40-49 and a decrease in the proportion of cases belonging to the 50+ age group.