Background HIV surveillance in Slovenia is based on universal mandatory reporting of HIV/AIDS cases, monitoring HIV infection prevalence among several sentinel populations and behaviour surveillance in several sentinel populations. Our objective was to present HIV surveillance data for men who have sex with men (MSM) in order to inform HIV prevention and control policies.

Methods We collected information on annual reported HIV cases, CD4 counts at diagnosis, HIV prevalence among male clients of STI outpatient services tested for syphilis and in a sentinel population of MSM, as well as proportion reporting “condom use” and “HIV testing last year” in the same sentinel population of MSM.

Results In 2011, 35 of all 55 newly diagnosed HIV cases were reported among MSM. During 2002–2011, the annual reported incidence rate of HIV diagnoses among MSM increased from 12.6 to 48.0 per million men aged 15–64 years. The proportion of new HIV diagnosis among MSM that were late (CD4 counts < 350/mm3) varied between the lowest 39% in 2005 and the highest 62% in 2008. HIV prevalence in male STI patients tested for syphilis varied between the lowest 0.2% in 2005 and the highest 3.4% in 2008 and in MSM increased from 0% in 2002 to the highest 7.6% in 2011 (more than 5% for the first time). In the same sentinel population of MSM, the proportion reporting “condom use” increased from 47% in 2002 to 52% in 2011, and “HIV testing” varied between 27% in 2007 and 40% in 2009.

Conclusion The burden of HIV among MSM in Slovenia is disproportionately high and increasing. Promotion of safer sexual behaviour and HIV testing among MSM as well as positive prevention among MSM with diagnosed HIV infection are urgently needed.