HIV-2 infection in Europe - persistence by migrant flows from West Africa but low spillover into the native population.

HIV-2 was isolated in 1986 in AIDS patients with negative or indeterminate HIV-1 antibodies. Most HIV-2 patients initially reported were West African migrants living in Europe. Independence wars during the 1960s for French colonies and, in the 1970s, for Portuguese colonies, fueled population exchanges, including military personnel. The Ivory Coast and Guinea-Bissau acted as the respective epicenters of HIV-2 spillover into France and Portugal. Other European countries (i.e., Belgium, the Netherlands, Spain, Italy, Germany, etc.) reported HIV-2 cases in the late 1980s. Although the majority were migrants from West Africa, there were also natives who had traveled to or had sex partners from there. By 1990, nearly 500 cases of HIV-2 infection had been confirmed in Europe. By 2010, nearly 2,000 cases had been reported only in Portugal. National surveillance data across Europe remain scarce, hindering precise and up-to-date estimates of HIV-2 infection. Spain is a notable exception, as it has maintained a register since 1989, with 428 HIV-2 cases reported by the end of 2025. Current consensus indicates that new HIV-2 infections are declining across Europe. Migrants from West Africa continue to be the largest contributors, with no evidence of significant HIV-2 spread into the native European population. This ongoing pattern underscores both the importance of surveillance and the limited transmission of HIV-2 beyond migrant communities.