HIV diagnoses in France stabilize in 2025, Digi Mart USA News: Nearly 5,000 people discovered they were HIV-positive in France in 2025, according to new estimates published by Santé publique France (SpF). If the decline observed since 2023 is confirmed, the epidemic continues to reveal significant gaps in access to testing: nearly four diagnoses in ten are still made at a late stage.
After the rebound observed as the pandemic subsided, the number of new HIV-positive diagnoses appears to be stabilizing. Santé publique France estimates 4,983 people learned their HIV-positive status in 2025, compared with 5,318 in 2023.
This decrease rests mainly on fewer diagnoses among heterosexual women born abroad.
By contrast, the number of diagnoses remains stable among men who have sex with men (MSM), whether born in France or, after several years of increase, born abroad. More than half of people discovering their HIV-positive status in 2025 were born abroad (54%), and heterosexual transmission remains the most frequent mode of infection (53%), ahead of sex between men (42%).
The year 2025 was marked by a significant increase in testing activity. About 9 million HIV serologic tests were carried out in France, 7% more than in 2024.
Of these, 2.3 million (25% of all serologic tests performed) were done without a prescription under the “Mon test IST” scheme, which was generalized in September 2024.
The data presented by Santé publique France show an increase in testing among people under 50 since the scheme was introduced, with a particularly visible effect among young adults.
Despite this growth in testing, late diagnoses remain a blind spot in the fight against HIV. In 2025, 39% of infections were discovered at a late stage.
The data nonetheless show an encouraging trend: advanced-stage diagnoses appear to have declined in recent years (about 30% in 2020 versus 24% in 2025), while early diagnoses have increased, rising 26% among adults between 2020 and 2025.
These figures nonetheless reflect many missed testing opportunities. According to the data presented by SpF, half of the people who discovered their HIV-positive status in 2025 had never previously taken an HIV test.
The number of AIDS diagnoses is estimated at 613 in 2025, a continuous decline since 2023. This is the lowest level observed in many years and a return to the downward trend interrupted during the pandemic.
This improvement nonetheless masks a concerning reality: 67% of people who developed AIDS in 2025 were unaware of their HIV-positive status at the time of diagnosis. Among those who knew their status, 15% were not on antiretroviral treatment.
In 2025, French Guiana remains the territory most affected by HIV, with a rate of 656 new HIV-positive diagnoses per million inhabitants, far above the national average of 72 per million. It is followed by Mayotte (386), Guadeloupe (197) and Martinique (143), which also have among the highest rates in France.
These territories also stand out for intense testing activity. In French Guiana, 336 HIV serologic tests were performed per 1,000 inhabitants in 2025, compared with 260 in Martinique and 268 in Guadeloupe, while the national average is 131 per 1,000 inhabitants.
By contrast, Mayotte shows lower testing uptake (114 per 1,000 inhabitants) despite a high level of new HIV-positive diagnoses.
The figure of 4,983 new HIV-positive diagnoses is not a raw count but a statistical estimate. The data rely on mandatory HIV reporting by biologists and clinicians.
However, not all diagnoses are reported: the completeness of the system is estimated at 76% in 2025, with wide disparities between hospitals (96%) and community medicine (38%).
To approximate reality as closely as possible, Santé publique France therefore adjusts the data to account for under-reporting, reporting delays and incomplete declarations. The models also take into account situations where one person may have several positive serologic tests within a year.
This statistical correction work allows the agency to estimate the actual number of new HIV-positive diagnoses.
