Petrelis Files

SF DPH: 27% Drop of HIV At City STD Clinic

On the heels of the just-released 2007 HIV/AIDS epi report from the San Francisco health department showing new HIV infections continued falling last year, an excellent development in the battle to control AIDS, comes the latest monthly STD report from DPH.

No surprise, at least to me, the number of HIV antibody test results that were positive for clients at the DPH City Clinic on Seventh Street showed a decline of 17%. While the drop does not represent the rate for the entire city, it is still very noteworthy since so many high-risk people are tested for HIV at the City Clinic, and is a prime surrogate marker for the city's infection rate.

From the June 2008 STD report:

June 2007: Year to Date

HIV Tests Performed
2,421

Positive Result
62

June 2008: Year to Date

HIV Tests Performed
2,655

Positive Result
47

Very interesting that even though the number of tests administered climbed, the number of positive results still decreased. Sounds to me like the decline of HIV in San Francisco cannot be denied.

What else is in the new monthly report? Male rectal gonorrhea dropped from 263 cases at the end of June 2007, to 232 diagnoses so far this year. That's a drop of 12%, and is an indicator of healthier sex habits among gay men.

At the same time, the number of male rectal chlamydia cases rose from 277 at mid-year in 2007, and have surged up to 322 this year. However, keep in mind that DPH has dramatically increased the number of tests for this infection, and has also greatly expanded surveillance of it.

How could the HIV stats at City Clinic and the male rectal gonorrhea rate for the entire city be sliding downward, and male rectal chlamydia is going up, besides more testing and reporting for chlamydia? One reason could be that chlamydia is much easier to spread and contract than gonorrhea and HIV.

Regardless, the falling annual HIV stats, coupled with the drop of monthly positive test results at City Clinic, is good news for sexually active gay men, people with HIV/AIDS, public health in general, and HIV prevention and service organizations.

Too bad the latest good developments from a DPH report get released late on a Friday afternoon, and DPH, along with the vast AIDS Inc groups, have greeted the latest stats with silence.