The geographical distribution of these migrants is heterogeneous, the majority (68.8%) living in southern Portugal [20]. Therefore, it is not surprising selleck kinase inhibitor to find that native Africans living in the capital (Lisbon) represent the majority of the most recently diagnosed cases of HIV-2 infection. In addition, as two large hospitals located in southern Portugal are not represented in our sample, this epidemiological change is probably underestimated. The general area of residence (north/south) was extrapolated taking into account the hospital where patients were diagnosed and followed, although some patients may not have attended a hospital in their area

of residence. Nonetheless, JAK inhibitor we believe that only a minority would travel more than 300 km to attend another hospital. Data from a Portuguese study addressing this issue revealed that the average distance from a patient’s residence to a hospital where HIV-infected patients were admitted was 13 km [21]. Interestingly, there has been over the study period a steeper increase in age at the time of diagnosis, statistically significant for men. However, the proportion of patients presenting with AIDS has not changed substantially. Does this mean that men are being infected later and tested earlier in the course of the infection or, on the contrary, are they being diagnosed at an older age and later

but remaining asymptomatic as a result of a slower progression of the disease? Testing for HIV has been performed routinely for blood donations since 1985 and recommendations for screening women before or during pregnancy date back to 1998. Further, there have been campaigns over the last few decades promoting HIV testing of those

with a history of injecting drug use, unprotected sexual intercourse or transfusions, particularly in Africa, although information related to the uptake of testing over time, either patient- or provider-initiated, is not available. Studies addressing HIV testing practices and disease progression are needed isometheptene to answer these and related questions. Experience with the treatment of HIV-2-infected patients on antiretroviral therapy is limited; when to start and which antiretroviral regimen to choose are still poorly defined. In our sample, we found that, although the majority of patients were treatment-naïve, the proportion of patients who had experienced more than two different treatment regimens (14.5% of those ever treated) highlights the need to improve the evidence base for decisions on which therapy to initiate. People living with HIV experienced a major change in survival rates after the introduction of effective treatment regimens. Whether the same applies to the prognosis of HIV-2-infected patients is not known.