Regional Differences in Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) Testing Procedures in Eastern German Federal States

Increasing incidence of HIV infections urges early recognition and timely introduction of therapy. Regional differences in referral approach and patient behavior are presumably associated with considerable delays in infection recognition and therapy onset. Comparison of records of new cases which were diagnosed in 2014 in several eastern federal states and a major western German city is expected to disclose whether the regionally preferred type of the primary care institution affects the time point of first diagnosis and the elapsed time since the emergence of the infection, as assessed by Cluster of Differentiation 4 positive (CD4+) lymphocyte counts and manifestation of clinical symptoms of immune deficiency.