USA Understimated HIV infection trends by 40%.

[Guest guest]

New technology and methodology developed by CDC show that the

incidence of HIV in the United States is higher than was previously

known. However, the incidence has been stable at that higher level for

most of this decade. HIV incidence is the number of new HIV infections

occurring during a certain time period, in this case, the year 2006.

These findings, published in a special HIV/AIDS issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) that was released August 3,

2008, show that in 2006, an estimated 56,300 new HIV infections

occurred – a number that is substantially higher than the previous

estimate of 40,000 annual new infections. It should be noted that the

new incidence estimate does not represent an actual increase in the

numbers of HIV infections. Rather, a separate CDC historical trend

analysis published as part of this study suggests that the annual

number of new infections was never as low as 40,000 and that it has

been roughly stable since the late 1990s (with estimates ranging

between 55,000 and 58,500 during the three most recent time periods

analyzed).

The

new estimates show that gay and bisexual men of all races and

ethnicities and African American men and women are the groups most

affected by HIV. Fifty three percent of all new infections in 2006

occurred in gay and bisexual men. African Americans, while comprising

13% of the US population, accounted for 45% of the new HIV infections

in 2006.

The

analysis revealed some encouraging signs of progress as well as

significant challenges. Findings documented reductions in new

infections among both injecting drug users and heterosexuals over time.

Yet, the findings also indicate that HIV incidence has been steadily

increasing among gay and bisexual men since the early 1990s, confirming

a trend suggested by prior data showing increases in risk behavior,

sexually transmitted diseases, and HIV diagnoses in this population

throughout the past decade. The analysis also found that new infections

among blacks are at a higher level than any other racial or ethnic

group, though they have been roughly stable, with some fluctuations,

since the early 1990s.

The new estimates highlight the need for expanded HIV prevention

services and should serve as a wake-up call that the US HIV/AIDS

epidemic is far from over.

Resources on New HIV Incidence Estimates

Estimation of HIV Incidence in the United States

Hall HI, Song R, P, Prejean J, An Q, Lee LM, Karon J, Brookmeyer

R, Kaplan EH, McKenna MT, Janssen RS for the HIV Incidence Surveillance

Group. Estimation of HIV Incidence in the United States. JAMA, August 6, 2008;300(5):520Dr Diwakar Tejaswi

MBBS(Gold Medalist); MCH; FCCP; Ph.D.HIV Physician and Medical Director

Regional AIDS Training Centre and Network in India(RATNEI)

International Health OrganizationRes: MIG 161, Lohianagar, Kankarbagh, Patna 800020, India

India Office: B-33, Indirapuri Colony, Patna 800014, India

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