Incidence and Diagnoses of HIV Infection -- Puerto Rico, 2006

This report describes the HIV epidemic in Puerto Rico in 2006. The Puerto Rico Department of Health and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) analyzed data on diagnoses of HIV infection, including infections that occurred in 2006 and in previous years, and used a stratified extrapolation approach developed by CDC to generate HIV incidence estimates. Results indicate that in 2006, an estimated 1,440 individuals aged 13 years or older were newly infected with HIV. The estimated incidence rate was 45 cases per 100,000 population, twice the rate for the 50 states and the District of Columbia. Percentages were calculated for sex, age group, and transmission categories. Results show HIV transmission patterns in Puerto Rico, which can help guide allocation of resources and planning, implementation, and evaluation of HIV prevention programs and other services.