By Angela Hill

Changes in HIV transmission

Jul 25, 2011 | 7:17 AM

HIV in Saskatchewan is no longer a virus spread mainly though injection drug use — there seems to be a shfit in how it's being transmitted.

“It looks like we are getting more heterosexual spread, so into the sex industry and over into the general population. It’s very hard to confirm that now, but certainly the numbers seem to be indicating that,” said Dr. Moira McKinnon, chief medical health officer for the provincial Ministry of Health.

Numbers from 2010 show more transmission of the virus between heterosexual couples, than in previous years where HIV moved mainly through shared needles of people who inject drugs.

“If there is a shift to the heterosexual then we need to make sure everyone understand that there is a risk in casual sex,” McKinnon said.

“It means that you really have to think about talking about sex in general in schools earlier and maybe more frequently. More targeted towards that youth group rather than messages that are designed for (only) … the injection drug use group.”

International Spotlight

P.A.'s Howe one of 4 Sask. born players named to Canada's World Junior roster

4h ago

National

Ottawa to remove 30% investment cap for Canadian pension funds

8h ago

Budget woes

Golf and curling centre faces grim season without financial boost

11h ago

Historically the messaging has been targeted towards the injection drug use group because that is where a majority of HIV has been, said McKinnon.

Also in 2010 there was a decrease in the number of new cases. According to the annual report on HIV and AIDS in the province, there were 200 new cases in 2009, but according to McKinnon there was about 170 new cases provincially in 2010. Those final numbers have not yet been released.

For the 2011 year, the numbers look to be back on track for 200 new cases again, she said.

“There was a dip last year, but it looks like that dip has not been sustained,” McKinnon said.

It’s not just the provincial numbers that are showing a shift. In the Prince Albert Parkland Health Region, more cases of HIV are showing up in the Caucasian population, said Dr. Khami Chokani, medical health officer for the region. Historically HIV was seen almost exclusively in the Aboriginal population.

While injection drug use continues as a significant risk factor, it isn’t the only risk, he said.

“Now we are seeing more of the other high risk behaviours such as unprotected, anonymous sexual encounters … there is a lot more of that.”

The average age of people who are being infected with HIV is falling also, with more than half of the 35 new cases in 2010 being in people younger than 25, Chokani said.

It means there needs to be a new way to approach how to get awareness messages out to the general public, he said, including using social networking.

“When we do look at a lot of these encounters, believe it or not, a lot of them use the technology of today to communicate with one another,” Chokani said.

“If we want to make an impact, we want to be on that same train.”

Watching how the epidemic continues to unfold and responding to it appropriately is important, McKinnon said.

“I think we need to watch this epidemic carefully and monitor how we respond to it.”

ahill@panow.com