HIV on the Rise in Greece

Lack of needle exchange program partly to blame

European health officials say HIV infections among drug users in Greece have increased by more than 20 times in the past two years, due in part to the lack of needle exchange programs.

The European Center for Disease Prevention and Control said Friday that it recorded 314 cases in Greece during the first eight months of 2012. That compares to 208 cases for all of 2011 and no more than 15 cases a year from 2001 to 2010.