Five cases of HIV in one Bristol Bay area village have been reported to health officials. The small outbreak, or cluster, began with one individual case reported in February of 2016. Two more were reported in October and November, and two additional people tested positive as officials began investigating.
There was concern that the HIV might be tied to needle sharing from the epidemic of opioid drug use. Dr. Cathy Hyndman from the Kanakanak Hospital in Dillingham said health officials do not believe that was the case.
“HIV is spread through sharing of blood and body fluids,” Hyndman said. “It could be happening by drug use, but it does not appear to be so in this particular group of cases. This particular group of cases seems to be associated with sexually transmitted vectors.”
According to a state report, all five of the HIV cases in this cluster involve men who have sex with men. Needle sharing was not reported as a risk factor, but alcohol and drug use did likely lead to unprotected sexual activity:
Dr. Hyndman said HIV is treatable, and she recommends people at risk get tested often. Transmitting HIV is also preventable:
“Use protection,” Hyndman said. “The only protection that is available for sexually transmitted cases is wear condoms. Every time. Every time.”
Health officials say limited access to healthcare and health education, as well as a patient concerns about stigma and confidentiality can be barriers to routine testing. Over the past five years, an average of 28 newly diagnosed cases of HIV were reported in Alaska.