ArticleBMC infectious diseases2022
Impact of COVID-19 on the Belgian HIV epidemic: slowdown of HIV transmission and testing and adaptation of care.
Article in BMC infectious diseases, 2022. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 4 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.
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Who cites it
4 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it, 4 citations in OpenAlex.
- Impacts of the COVID-19 Pandemic on the HIV Care Continuum and Associated Factors in High-Income Nations: A Mixed-Methods Systematic Review.AIDS and behavior · 2025Pooled it
- Differences in HIV testing may determine the first pillar of the HIV care continuum in a cross-border setting.HIV medicine · 2026Article
- New HIV diagnoses and risk factors for late HIV diagnosis, Finland, 2008-2023.Epidemiology and infection · 2026Article
- Effects of COVID-19 measures on access to HIV/STI testing and condoms among adults in Sweden: a cross-sectional online survey.Scandinavian journal of public health · 2024Article
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Authors and funding
15 authors at 6 institutions in 1 country.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundTo gain insight into the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and containment measures on the HIV epidemic and services, this study aims to describe HIV trends in 2020 and compare them with previous years.
methodsBelgian national HIV surveillance data 2017-2020 were analysed for trends in HIV testing, HIV diagnoses, VL measurements, ART uptake and PrEP purchase. Descriptive statistics from 2020 are compared to annual averages from 2017 to 2019 (proportional difference, %).
resultsIn 2020, 725 HIV infections were diagnosed in Belgium (- 21.5% compared to 2019). The decline was most pronounced during the first lockdown in April-May but also present in July-December. The number of HIV tests performed decreased by 17.6% in 2020, particularly in March-May and October-December (- 57.5% in April and -25.4% in November 2020 compared to monthly 2017-19 numbers). Diagnosis of acute HIV infections decreased by 47.1% in 2020 (n = 27) compared to 2019 (n = 51). Late HIV diagnoses decreased by 24.7% (95% CI [- 40.7%; -9.7%]) in 2020 compared to 2019. Of patients in care in 2019, 11.8% interrupted HIV care in 2020 compared to 9.1% yearly in the 3 previous years. The number of HIV patients with VL monitoring per month dropped in March-May 2020, whilst proportions of VL suppression and ART coverage remained above 86% and 98.5% respectively in 2020. PrEP purchases, number of purchasers and starters dropped during April-May 2020 (respectively - 45.7%, - 47.4%, - 77.9% in April compared to February 2020).
conclusionsThe significant decrease in HIV diagnoses in Belgium in 2020 coincided with the COVID-19 pandemic and following containment measures, particularly in April-May during the first lockdown. A slowdown of HIV transmission due to reduced HIV risk exposure is suggested by the halving in diagnosis of acute HIV infections in March-December 2020 compared to the previous year, and the adaptive decrease in PrEP use and PrEP initiation from April onwards. Despite a slight increase in HIV care interruptions, the indicators of quality of HIV care remained stable. Access to prevention, testing and care for all people living with HIV and at risk of acquiring HIV is a priority during and after times of pandemic.
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