§ Mr. BurnsTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what tests are carried out on HIV-infected patients to establish whether they have a drug-resistant strain of the virus. [127441]
§ Miss Melanie JohnsonThere are two kinds of test that can be performed to determine whether an HIV-infected patient has a drug-resistant strain of the virus. Genotypic testing, which involves identifying mutation in the viral genetic material, has been adopted for widespread clinical use and is undertaken by specialist clinical virology laboratories. Mutations are associated with resistance to antiretroviral drugs and this information can be used to predict which drugs are likely to work for a particular individual. Phenotypic testing is more complex. requires high-containment laboratory facilities, and is not routinely available in the United Kingdom.
§ Mr. BurnsTo ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) how many people in England were infected with HIV in each of the last five years; [127439]
(2) how many people in England were infected with AIDS in each of the last five years. [127440]
§ Miss Melanie JohnsonThe number of new cases of HIV infection and AIDS diagnosed in England in each of the last five years is shown in the table.
201W
Year of diagnosis HIV AIDS 1998 2,615 732 1999 2,872 672 2000 3,608 750 2001 4,725 633 20021 5,234 679 1Numbers will rise, particularly for the most recent year, as further reports are received. Source:
Communicable Disease Surveillance Centre, Health Protection Agency (data to end June 2003)