Thousands might not know they carry the HIV virus

published on June 21, 2012 in The Province

Up to 4,500 people in B.C. are carrying the HIV virus unaware — and spreading it, health officials believe.

“Of all people who have HIV, probably about a quarter don’t know it,” says Dr. Reka Gustafson, a medical health officer for the Vancouver Coastal Health region. “One of the main reasons for that is we don’t test for HIV as much as we should. There are very few screening tests that have such a great potential for benefit, both for the individual and for their community.

“We haven’t really incorporated HIV testing into the medical care that people are already receiving. We’re missing too many opportunities to recommend tests to people. It isn’t that people are avoiding HIV testing. It just doesn’t cross their mind.”

Official estimates of the number of unwitting HIV carriers range from 2,500 to 4,500. More than half of new HIV infections in B.C. are transmitted by people who don’t know they carry the virus, Gustafson says.

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(Please do not use any of these email addresses to send personal information or book an appointment. To book appointments or contact the H2H clinic, please call 604-416-1517 or fax: 604-564-4893. Do not send your or your client's personal information via email.)

© Copyright BC Centre for Excellence in HIV/AIDS
St. Paul's Hospital 608–1081 Burrard Street, Vancouver, BC, Canada V6Z 1Y6
Tel: 604-806-8477 | Fax: 604-806-9044
General inquiries: info@bccfe.ca
Media inquiries: communications@bccfe.ca
(Please do not use any of these email addresses to send personal information or book an appointment. To book appointments or contact the H2H clinic, please call 604-416-1517 or fax: 604-564-4893. Do not send your or your client's personal information via email.)

Our work serves clients and communities across British Columbia on lands and waters cared for and nurtured by the many distinct First Nations across the province. The BC-CfE humbly and gratefully acknowledge the stewards of these lands, particularly the xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish), and səl̓ílwətaʔ (Tsleil-Waututh) on whose unceded, traditional and ancestral territories our offices are located.