Thousands of Greek men have bombarded health centres with panic calls after medical tests revealed a number of prostitutes to be HIV positive in Athens, according to local radio reports Wednesday.

Medical tests conducted on more than 100 prostitutes by the Centre for Disease Control and Prevention over the past two days revealed that 11 of them are carrying the virus that causes Aids.

The centre says it has intensified testing for prostitutes working in central Athens, noting that the majority of sex workers do not have access to health care as they are working illegally.

Officials have blamed an increase in Aids cases in recent years on

illegal prostitution and a rise in the number of intravenous drug users.

Private Skai radio said the centre had received over 1,000 telephone calls since it appealed on Sunday to men who have had unprotected sex with a particular 22-year-old Russian woman, whose photograph was published by police after she tested positive.