HIV/AIDS epidemic in Turkey and use of antiretroviral drugs for treating pregnant women and preventing HIV infection in infants

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate changes in epidemiologic characteristics for HIV/AIDS in Turkey since 1985, management of HIV-positive pregnancies, and how new-borns and infants would be protected by anti-viral therapy (AVT). MATERIALS AND METHODS: The World Health Organization (WHO) progress reports, 2013 UNAIDS Global AIDS epidemic reports, Turkish Ministry of Health HIV/AIDS reports, and distribution tables that we published for specific time frames (1985-2013) according to sex, age, age groups, and possible transmission routes were used and the groups were compared. RESULTS: Although there were 35.3 (32.2-38.8) million people who were HIV(+) in the world as of 2013, only 9.7 million received AVTs. In Turkey, the total number of people with HIV/AIDS reported between 1985-2013 was 7050. There was a dramatic upward trend, with a peak in 2012 (n=1068). Sexually transmitted infection was the most common, and 4 drug use and blood transfusions showed a proportional increase. A total of 77 infections passed from mother to baby; seven cases have been reported in the last two years. CONCLUSION: Turkey is obliged to create an effective surveillance system for the prevention of HIV. The WHO proposed a new treatment protocol (option B+) in 2013 to prevent HIV mother-child transmission.