Health officials to use new weapon in anti-AIDS battle

A new HIV-detection technique has been introduced from the US to help curtail the spread of AIDS, the Department of Health announced earlier this week.

The new technique, known as "HIV-1 anti-gp41 capture assay," can determine whether an HIV carrier has been infected within the last six months, thus allowing medical professionals to track down high-risk people who have come into contact with the carrier, health officials said.

Yang Shih-yang (楊世仰) a division chief at the Center for Disease Control (CDC), said the new technique, developed by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, is badly needed because Taiwan's AIDS situation has become increasingly grave, with an average of 10 new cases confirmed each day.

According to CDC tallies, 1,593 HIV infection cases were reported in the first half of this year, down slightly from the same period last year when 1,634 cases were recorded.

Nevertheless, Yang said, an in-depth analysis of 807 HIV carriers detected in the past year found that 56.4 percent contracted the virus within the past six months. More worrisome was that 80.2 percent of the newly infected victims were drug addicts.

Yang said that the CDC had launched clean needle projects in several counties and cities in an effort to prevent drug addicts from contracting HIV through sharing needles.

The clean needle project began as a pilot program in Taipei City, Taipei County, Taoyuan County and Tainan County last year.