CONNECTIONS From the National Center for HIV/AIDS, Viral Hepatitis, STD, and TB Prevention

Mobile Version - March - April 2021

From the Director - Dr. Jonathan Mermin

On February 22, I began a temporary assignment as CDC's Director of the Center for Preparedness and Response. While I am away, Dr. Deron Burton, MD, JD, MPH (CAPT, USPHS) is the acting Director of NCHHSTP.

In this issue of Connections, I wanted to highlight the National Prevention Information Network (NPIN). Since it was congressionally mandated in 1988 as a source for information and materials related to HIV prevention, NPIN continues to expand and evolve, along with CDC. Today, NPIN is a communication and digital resource service unique to CDC. NPIN continues to help us reach and support our national prevention HIV, viral hepatitis, sexually transmitted diseases, and tuberculosis communities and partners.

NPIN's support of digital media tools includes the PrEP locator and GetTested, a locater service for HIV, STD, and viral hepatitis testing.

To kick off 2021, recent NPIN updates of note include the following:

  • NPIN Website is redesigned to be more responsive.
  • NPIN Community contains updated features for users to connect with peers and share resources in private or open forums.

The HIV Blue Book

Last month, CDC released HIV Prevention in the United States: Mobilizing to End the Epidemic. This resource provides a snapshot of the state of the HIV epidemic in the United States and highlights CDC's key efforts to reduce new HIV infections. Information on Ending of the HIV Epidemic (EHE), latest data trends, and challenges in the field are also included.

STI Prevalence, Incidence, and Cost estimates

CDC data estimates that on any given day in 2018, one in five people had a sexually transmitted infection (STI). The analyses, published in the journal Sexually Transmitted Diseases, update STI prevalence, incidence, and cost estimates for the first time in nearly a decade. It is estimated there were about 68 million STIs on any given day in 2018 (i.e., STI prevalence). Among the 26 million new infections (i.e., STI incidence), almost half occurred in youth aged 15-24. With many infections often going undetected and unreported to CDC, these estimates are critical to understanding the vast scope of the STI epidemic and who is most affected.