Penza, 26 August 2013. PenzaNews. 1,442 residents of the Penza region are HIV-infected.

“37% of these people are registered in Penza. As of beginning of August 2013, the most problematic territories in the region in this regard is Kuznetsk, where the infection rate is 356 per 100 thousand people, and Kuznetsky, Issinsky and Luninsky areas,” the press service of the Ministry of Health of the Penza area told news agency “PenzaNews.”

The ministry said that since the beginning of the year, 175 new cases of HIV infection were registered, which is 5% lower than last year.

“Two ways of transmission of HIV infection are equally spread in the Penza region — sexual, which accounts for 55,5%, and through intravenous drug injections using non-sterile instruments — 40,3%,” the press service pointed out.

The ministry explained that 59% of those infected are men, more than half of whom were infected through intravenous drug use.

“Most of the women — 78% — were infected through heterosexual contact. Every fourth HIV-infected woman was first diagnosed during pregnancy. The number of such women has increased to 19, while in 2012 their number was only 15. The number of children born to HIV-infected women has increased from 15 in 2012 to 21 in the past period in 2013,” the Ministry of Health of the Penza region stated.

The ministry noted that in most of the cases — 80% — people are 21-40 years old.

“33% of HIV-infected people do not work anywhere, 78% are officially married, 56% suffer from alcohol and drug abuse, 36% had multiple sexual partners,” the Ministry of Health of the region summed up.