What is it about?
When the war in Ukraine began, many people moved to Poland, including those living with HIV. We studied how this affected the spread of a specific form of the virus, called HIV-1 A6. By analysing genetic data from thousands of patients, we found that most A6 cases in Poland were among men and spread in large clusters before the war. After 2022, many new cases were linked to people arriving from Ukraine, with men and women affected almost equally. These new introductions added to existing transmission chains in Poland, especially in large cities and central regions. Our findings show that there are now two different ways HIV-1 A6 spreads in Poland: one mainly among men in the local population, and another linked to migration from Ukraine. Understanding both patterns is essential for planning better healthcare and prevention strategies for everyone.
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Photo by Krzysztof Hepner on Unsplash
Why is it important?
Our study is the first to look at how the war in Ukraine and the movement of people to other countries have affected the spread of HIV in Europe. We found that people living with HIV who moved from Ukraine play an essential role in how the virus is now spreading, and this knowledge can help improve care and prevention across the region.
Perspectives
Writing this article was both a challenge and a privilege. The war in Ukraine is not only a geopolitical crisis but also a humanitarian one, and working on this study reminded me how deeply health and migration are connected. I felt it was essential to give scientific evidence that could help improve care for people living with HIV during such a difficult time. I hope this work will encourage further collaboration across countries, because viruses do not stop at borders, nor should our public health efforts.
Karol Serwin
Pomeranian Medical University
Read the Original
This page is a summary of: Comparison of HIV-1 A6 dispersal dynamics in Poland before and after the war in Ukraine, PLoS Pathogens, August 2025, PLOS,
DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1013369.
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