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30% of New HIV Diagnoses in Argentina Are People Who Never Tested Before

26/06/2026 20:00 - Salud

VIH salud pública sífilis infecciones de transmisión sexual test diagnóstico

A Diagnosis That Arrives Too Late

Late detection of HIV remains one of the main public health challenges in Argentina. According to official data, 30% of new diagnoses are recorded in people who had never taken a test before, a figure that reveals the need to strengthen access to diagnosis and information about sexually transmitted infections (STIs).

This situation is worsened by the increase in other sexually transmitted infections. Syphilis registered a historic record of 46,799 cases in 2025, with a rate of 117.2 per 100,000 inhabitants. 76% of cases are concentrated in people between 15 and 39 years old, the most affected age group.

What Does the Comprehensive HIV Law Say?

Four years after the implementation of the Comprehensive HIV Law in Argentina, significant obstacles persist for early diagnosis. The legislation establishes free and confidential testing, but lack of information and stigma continue to limit access for large sectors of the population.

In response to this situation, the Ministry of Health created the Ministerial STI Table in 2025, a space designed to coordinate prevention, diagnosis, and treatment strategies for sexually transmitted infections.

Higher Risk Groups

Epidemiological data shows that youth and young adults (between 15 and 39 years old) concentrate the highest number of sexually transmitted infection cases. Experts recommend:

Get tested for HIV at least once in your lifetime
Have periodic check-ups if you maintain unprotected sexual relations
Consult if you have any symptoms or doubts
Use condoms consistently

The Importance of Voluntary Testing

Early HIV diagnosis allows for timely treatment initiation, improves quality of life for affected individuals, and significantly reduces the possibility of virus transmission. People on effective treatment with undetectable viral load do not transmit HIV sexually, as confirmed by international scientific studies.

Health centers, public hospitals, and civil society organizations offer free and confidential tests throughout the country. The recommendation is to get tested especially if you have had unprotected sexual relations, shared needles or injection materials, or present symptoms of sexually transmitted infections.