Representative image for HIV positive blood sample.
Credit: iStock photo
Mysuru: Even as world AIDS day was observed on Monday, the prevalence of HIV positive cases has been 0.4% with 435 tested positive for HIV from April to October. Shockingly, eight among them were less than 14 years of age including five female.
The prevalence was the same with 464 cases (1,08,906 tested) from April to October; and April 2024- March 2025 with 803 cases.
It was 0.3% with 779 cases tested positive for HIV in 2023-24; 0.43% with 805 cases in 2022-23; 0.54% with 722 cases in 2021-22.
According to Mysuru district AIDS Programme Controlling officer Dr Mohammed Shiraz Ahmed, among 1,77,187 people tested, 803 were positive for HIV, in the district during the year 2024-25. Among them, out of 40036 pregnant women tested, 23 (0.05%) were positive for HIV. However, with PPTCT (Prevention of Parent to Child Transmission) measures, among 130 children between six and 18 months, born to these women, none were positive for HIV.
This year
From April to October this year, among 97,874 people tested, 435 were positive for HIV including 290 male, 144 female and one transgender. This includes 179 from Mysuru taluk; 24 from Hunsur; 20 from Periyapatna; 18 from K R Nagar; 57 from Nanjangud; 39 from H D Kote; 24 from T Narsipur and 74 from other districts. Out of 24,798 pregnant women tested, 10 (0.04%) were HIV positive.
Among them 32 were 15 to 24 years of age; 110-25 to 34 years; 177-35 to 49 years of age; 108 were above 50 years of age.
Among them, 228 (including 73 female) were married; 100 (3 female and 1 transgender) were unmarried; 27 (8 female) were separated; 68 (54 female) were widowers; 12 (six females) were parents to child.
Also among them, 376 (including 138 female) were heterosexual; 25 ( including one transgender and 24 men) were homosexual; 22 men were bi sexual; 12 (6 female) were parents to child. 113 (including 56 female) of them were illiterate, 105 (42 female) had primary education, 111 (34 female) had secondary education, 106 (12 female) had college education.
Among them, 66 were farmers (including 14 female); 101 were farm workers (32 female); 26 male-drivers; 20-businessmen; 30 (nine female) daily wage workers; four (three female) were domestic workers; 15 (including three female) private job holders; 11 (three female) were hotel staff; 63 were housewives; six men were unemployed; 52 (including nine female) were salary holders; 20 (including seven female) were students.
Testing, treatment, awareness
The officer informed that there are 24 Integrated Counseling and Testing Centres (ICTC) in Mysuru district. There is ICTC facility in all Primary Health Care centres. There are three Anti Retroviral Therapy (ART) centers in Mysuru district at K R Hospital, JSS Hospital and Asha Kirana Hospital. As many as 23858 HIV positive persons have registered in these centres for treatment.
Also 14 Link ART centers are providing ART treatment at taluk level. Two community care centres are established in the district to persuade those who are missing treatment and to provide necessary emotional and social support to ensure they are treated.
'Targeted Intervention' (TI) service, related to HIV, is provided for 3483 (including 82 HIV positive) female sex workers at Ashodaya institution; for migrant workers at Vivekananda Youth Movement's 'Migrant' project; for men having sex with men and transgenders in GUARD institution. Chaithanya rural development institute is also offering testing and counseling facility for link workers. There are 1833 male sex workers (including 80 HIV positive) and 326 transgenders (including 25 HIV positive) who are registered with these institutions in district.
Dr Shiraz added that, in order to create awareness on HIV among students, 52 Red Ribbon clubs are established by KSAPS (Karnataka State AIDS Prevention Society) in various degree colleges of the district. They are also offering adolescents' health education in 295 high schools and PU Colleges.
The State government has established an Ombudsman to safeguard human rights of HIV infected and to give necessary directions to officers concerned to treat them during emergency situations. HIV infected can contact Dr Gangubhai Ramesha Manakara 94498 46954 or write to ombudsmanhiv@krnataka.gov.in.