[Late diagnoses of HIV infection in 2009 in Switzerland: towards a universal HIV testing?].
Individuals who are unaware of their HIV infection constitute a fragile and a critical population both from a personal and from a community-based point of view: if the infection is diagnosed too late, the outcome can be complicated by AIDS-defining diseases, whose prognosis may remain unfavourable even after the initiation of a potent antiretroviral therapy. These patients contribute to the virus spreading into the community, owing to a high viral load. It is now necessary to recognise the limits of a risk behaviour and disease-driven HIV screening policy. Since 2006, the American guidelines recommend a routine HIV testing for all patients age 13 to 64 years unless they specifically refuse the test (opt-out). In Switzerland, the recommendations remain so far risk-centred.
Dang
Thanh
T
Service des maladies infectieuses, Département de médecine, CHUV et Universite de Lausanne, 1011 Lausanne. thanh.dang@chuv.ch
Cavassini
Matthias
M
D015658:HIV Infections / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000635:transmission; D006801:Humans; D008403:Mass Screening; D013557:Switzerland; D013997:Time Factors