title: Monitoring the dynamics of the HIV epidemic using assays for recent infection and serotyping among new HIV diagnoses: experience after 2 years in France.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  New tools to better monitor dynamics of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) transmission are needed.
  
  
  METHODS
  National surveillance of newly HIV diagnoses included the collection of dried serum spots to identify both recent infections (<6 months) and HIV serotypes. Multivariate analyses were used to identify factors associated with recent infection and infection with non-B subtypes.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Between 2003 and March 2005, 7902 new HIV diagnoses were reported. The overall proportion of recent infections was 24.9% (95% confidence interval, 23.8%-26.0%) and was highest among men who have sex with men (MSM; 46%). Recent infection was associated with being an MSM, <30 years old, of French nationality, and living in Paris. Nearly half of newly HIV-1 diagnoses were with non-B subtypes. The highest proportion of non-B infections was reported among African heterosexual persons (81%), but important proportions were reported among French heterosexual persons (34%) and MSM (12%). Being infected by a non-B subtype was independently associated with being African, <30 years old, heterosexual, and living in Paris. The proportion of HIV-2 infection was 1.9%, and 11 cases of HIV-1 group O infection were identified, mainly among West Africans.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  There is evidence of high levels of HIV transmission among MSM in France and transmission of non-B subtypes within the indigenous French population.
authors.affiliation: Institut de Veille Sanitaire, Saint Maurice, 94 415, France. c.semaille@invs.sante.fr
authors.forename: Caroline
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Semaille
authors.forename: Francis
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Barin
authors.forename: Francoise
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Cazein
authors.forename: Josiane
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Pillonel
authors.forename: Florence
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Lot
authors.forename: Denys
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Brand
authors.forename: Jean-Christophe
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Plantier
authors.forename: Pascale
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Bernillon
authors.forename: Stéphane
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Le Vu
authors.forename: Roselyne
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Pinget
authors.forename: Jean-Claude
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Desenclos
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D004196:Disease Outbreaks; D005260:Female; D005602:France / Q000453:epidemiology; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000821:virology; D015497:HIV-1 / Q000235:genetics; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010802:Phylogeny; D012307:Risk Factors; D013997:Time Factors