Healthcare marketing agency Isis Research Plc said that in the United States, however, homosexual transmission remained the dominant route of infection.
Isis looked at data on 3,000 European patients on anti-HIV therapy from July to October 2002 and found that 308 had been newly diagnosed with HIV earlier that year.
Of these, 51 percent were infected through heterosexual contact and only 36 percent as a result of homosexual contact.
This contrasted with the picture 10 years ago when the split was 28 percent heterosexual against 38 percent homosexual.
However, in the United States, where ISIS also examined data on 3,000 patients, infections via homosexual contact accounted for 51 percent of new HIV diagnoses against 31 percent for heterosexuals.
Amanda Zeffman, HIV analyst at ISIS, told Reuters numerous factors including ethnic origins and awareness campaigns accounted for the differences between Europe and the U.S.
However the gap between the two continents was narrowing and would eventually disappear as more heterosexuals became infected in the U.S, she added.
The report said that in Europe the number of females being diagnosed with HIV was "fast catching up with the number of males."
It went on: "This rise in female patients carries with it the risk of a rise in the number of babies born to HIV-infected mothers.
"(This) in turn brings potential issues such as which treatments to use or avoid during pregnancy and at the time of birth, to prevent transmission of the virus to the baby."
On a positive note, the report said initiatives to supply drug users with sterile needles seemed to have been effective in Europe, with HIV transmission via intravenous drug use now almost eradicated in France, Germany and the UK and significantly reduced in Spain and Italy.
However in the U.S, where needle exchange programs were less widespread, infection rates had dropped less.
"Europe has come a long way toward minimizing the spread of HIV via intravenous drug use but governments must now turn their attention to the rise in transmission via heterosexual contact," Zeffman said.
It appeared that despite all the evidence about AIDS, many European heterosexuals were continuing to live in denial of the fact that they could be at risk.
"Whilst a return to the shock awareness campaigns of the early 90s may not be welcomed, it is clear there is a great need for a new awareness campaign if the spread of infection via this route is to be minimized in the coming years," Zeffman added.
Copyright © 2003 Reuters Limited. All rights reserved. Republication or redistribution of Reuters content is expressly prohibited without the prior written consent of Reuters. Reuters shall not be liable for any errors or delays in the content, or for any actions taken in reliance thereon.
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Isis looked at data on 3,000 European patients on anti-HIV therapy from July to October 2002 and found that 308 had been newly diagnosed with HIV earlier that year.
Of these, 51 percent were infected through heterosexual contact and only 36 percent as a result of homosexual contact.
This contrasted with the picture 10 years ago when the split was 28 percent heterosexual against 38 percent homosexual.
However, in the United States, where ISIS also examined data on 3,000 patients, infections via homosexual contact accounted for 51 percent of new HIV diagnoses against 31 percent for heterosexuals.
Amanda Zeffman, HIV analyst at ISIS, told Reuters numerous factors including ethnic origins and awareness campaigns accounted for the differences between Europe and the U.S.
However the gap between the two continents was narrowing and would eventually disappear as more heterosexuals became infected in the U.S, she added.
The report said that in Europe the number of females being diagnosed with HIV was "fast catching up with the number of males."
It went on: "This rise in female patients carries with it the risk of a rise in the number of babies born to HIV-infected mothers.
"(This) in turn brings potential issues such as which treatments to use or avoid during pregnancy and at the time of birth, to prevent transmission of the virus to the baby."
On a positive note, the report said initiatives to supply drug users with sterile needles seemed to have been effective in Europe, with HIV transmission via intravenous drug use now almost eradicated in France, Germany and the UK and significantly reduced in Spain and Italy.
However in the U.S, where needle exchange programs were less widespread, infection rates had dropped less.
"Europe has come a long way toward minimizing the spread of HIV via intravenous drug use but governments must now turn their attention to the rise in transmission via heterosexual contact," Zeffman said.
It appeared that despite all the evidence about AIDS, many European heterosexuals were continuing to live in denial of the fact that they could be at risk.
"Whilst a return to the shock awareness campaigns of the early 90s may not be welcomed, it is clear there is a great need for a new awareness campaign if the spread of infection via this route is to be minimized in the coming years," Zeffman added.
Copyright © 2003 Reuters Limited. All rights reserved. Republication or redistribution of Reuters content is expressly prohibited without the prior written consent of Reuters. Reuters shall not be liable for any errors or delays in the content, or for any actions taken in reliance thereon.
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