Vigo County health officials are declining to talk about a case of a person who is believed to have knowingly spread HIV to others in the community.
Meanwhile, state health officials — many of whom are directing their attention to an HIV upsurge in southeastern Indiana — report that the number of HIV cases in Vigo County has remained steady in recent years.
“At this time, Vigo County has not been shown to be outside the range of expected HIV cases,” said Ken Severson, media coordinator for the Indiana State Department of Health in an email to the Tribune-Star.
According to the ISDH, Vigo County has reported a range of seven to 16 new HIV cases annually from 2011 to 2014. The average for those four years is 12 new HIV cases reported annually.
One family practice physician who is in the midst of the HIV crisis in Scott County told the Tribune-Star on Wednesday that improving access to testing for HIV and other communicable diseases is important for the public.
That doctor, Shane Avery, said the state and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have sent extra disease intervention specialists to southeastern Indiana to assist in the crisis, and when applicable, they will investigate the criminal offense of intentionally spreading HIV.
Avery said that CDC studies have shown Vigo County has a high risk for HIV because of the area’s high Hepatitis C rate. That rate is connected to intravenous drug use, he said.
The 2014 Indiana annual report on HIV lists 11 new HIV/AIDS reports in Vigo County, and the total persons living with HIV/AIDS — including cases diagnosed in other states and now living in Indiana as of Dec. 31, 2014 — was listed at 274. The 2013 Indiana annual report showed 12 new cases in Vigo County, with 261 total active cases.
There is an HIV awareness campaign under way, ISDH’s Severson said. The “You Are Not Alone” campaign is now running on social media statewide. More information about the campaign is available at wwww.StateHealth.in.gov.
State health officials say they are working closely with local health departments, health care providers and others to contain the spread of HIV in southeastern Indiana. Disease intervention specialists are in the area, interviewing each newly identified HIV positive individual to obtain information about needle sharing and sex partners. They also are recommending care coordination services, medical care and HIV prevention information.
As of Tuesday, there were 135 HIV positive tests, which includes 129 confirmed and six preliminary cases related to the outbreak in southeastern Indiana. The needle exchange program of the Scott County Health Department, estimates that 3,111 needles have been brought in while 4,337 needles have been provided.
Some local health departments offer HIV testing, but the statewide effort is a combination of agencies that include community-based organizations, private providers, community health centers, family planning clinics and others.
Vigo County is part of the Disease Intervention Program based in Monroe County. The program provides intervention services and partner notification for people affected by HIV, syphilis, chlamydia and gonorrhea, serving 12 counties including Vigo, Clay, Greene, Parke, Putnam, Sullivan and Vermillion counties with surveillance, case detection, case follow-up and education.