HIV infection rates

[ewhite]

A whopping 55% of those infected with HIV are unaware of their positive status and many do not find out they have HIV until they have developed AIDS. 28% of the most at risk Americans for HIV have never been tested.

Here are some facts about HIV testing from a new CDC report:

* In 2009, 55% of Americans aged 18-64 -- 82.9 million people -- have had at least one HIV test.
* Nearly one in three people who test positive for HIV have waited too late: They already have AIDS.
* African-Americans get more than half of new HIV infections in the U.S., yet only 60% have ever been tested.
* Men who have sex with men make up more than 55% of people with HIV, yet only 40% of these at-risk men were tested in the past year.

Getting tested is the key to HIV prevention because. Why??

* People who know they have HIV are less likely to transmit the virus than are people who are infected but don't know it.
* Taken before AIDS develops, HIV drugs prolong life and health.
* People being treated for their HIV infection are less likely to transmit the virus to others.
* Most HIV infections come from people who don't know they carry the virus.

The CDC recommends routine HIV screening for everyone. Those who are high risk should be tested annually, at least.

source: Who Has HIV? 55% in U.S. Don't Know

[Ghost of You]

You made some really important points here. One thing that's so sad is the treatments for HIV work really well these days, but to make them most effective the therapy has to begin early on. With so many folks not being tested, these infections often aren't found until late in the game when the medicine still has value, but is diminished.

HIV testing is so important, and most anyone who is, or has been, sexually active is at risk.