00:00The Italian Institute of Health has just released the update on the new HIV-infection diagnoses in Italy,
00:07and what emerges is that in 2023, so last year, about 2,300 new HIV-infection diagnoses were carried out.
00:15From 2012 to 2020, there was a decrease in the number of new infections,
00:21but then, starting from 2021 until today, we have seen a progressive increase.
00:26What is striking is that in recent years, since about 2015,
00:30the proportion of people who are diagnosed with the disease is increasing.
00:36These are the so-called presenters, who today represent 60% of the new diagnoses in Italy,
00:43which is a higher figure than the European average.
00:46Why do we do research in the field of HIV?
00:49First of all, because it is a field in great evolution,
00:51an area in which enormous scientific progress has been made in recent decades,
00:55which has transformed a disease of high mortality into a chronic pathology.
01:00Today, it can be treated with drugs from the administration, absolutely simple,
01:04and its treatment is the backbone of our prevention instruments,
01:08because today we know well how those who correctly take the therapy and have the viral load zeroed out,
01:13do not transmit the infection.
01:15There are many goals to be achieved in the field of HIV research.
01:19The final goal, globally, is to eradicate the disease,
01:24but the path is long.
01:26Today's concrete goals are, first of all, to improve the quality of life of HIV-infected people,
01:32to optimize antiretroviral therapy in different ways,
01:37and to be able to zero out the viral load even in the most difficult cases.
01:42For example, patients with multiresistant viruses,
01:45or patients with limited adherence and compliance,
01:48by offering innovative therapies and management models.
01:54In Lazio, in 2023, the new HIV-infection diagnoses were just under 350,
02:00with the highest incidence in Italy.
02:03In addition to the research goals that we mentioned earlier,
02:07in this field we are working a lot on prevention at all levels of the HIV test,
02:13to increase early diagnoses,
02:15to promote access to preventive therapies,
02:18to quickly start therapy for all people with a new diagnosis,
02:23with the aim of achieving the maintenance of viral success in as many people as possible.
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