NEWLY-diagnosed HIV infections are on the rise in Brighton and Hove.

The number of people attending NHS services for HIV in the city is increasing by ten to 15 per cent a year.

Last year, 920 people from Brighton and Hove were receiving treatment compared to 810 in 2003, a rise of 14 per cent.

Meanwhile, Brighton's Elton John Centre, which treats people with HIV and Aids, has recorded a four-fold increase in patient numbers since 1995, from about 350 to 1,300.

These are not all new infections - many people have moved to the area because treatment is good or for other reasons.

But health professionals have warned that those at risk should be aware of the dangers and should make sure they heed the safe-sex message.

They also warned that it was important for people to have regular sexual health check-ups.

Levels of syphilis and chlamydia have also been going up.

Early diagnosis of HIV can mean patients have better access to treatment.

Dr Martin Fisher, a consultant at the Elton John Centre, part of the Royal Sussex County Hospital, said Brighton was historically disproportionately affected by HIV because it had a large gay population.

Nationally, today there are more new infections among heterosexuals than homosexuals.

Dr Fisher said people with HIV were living for much longer than in the past, which meant patient numbers would continue to grow. But he thought more could be done to warn about the dangers.

One in three HIV-positive people do not know their status.

Dr Fisher said: "HIV infections, if anything, are probably going up. At the moment, HIV is largely a treatable infection, albeit that treatment has side effects and is far from perfect."

People who believe they have been at significant risk can access post-exposure therapy.

Stephen Nicholson, the service improvement manager leading Brighton and Hove Primary Care Trust's commission for HIV and sexually transmitted infections, said the trust ran a variety of education campaigns and had been having successes with falling rates of teenage pregnancy, genital herpes and levels of gonorrhea in women.

Mr Nicholson said: "There is an awful lot of work going on."

Anyone concerned about sexual health can contact Brighton's Claude Nichol Clinic on 01273 664721 or visit www.swish.org.uk