HIV Positive Persons

This information sheet points out that the fungus Cryptococcus is the most common cause of meningitis in sub-Saharan Africa, and is a leading cause of death among people with HIV. Although it is not possible to prevent the initial infection with Cryptococcus, screening for cryptococcal antigen can detect disease before meningitis develops so treatment can begin and prevent death. A rapid, point-of-care dipstick test is now available for use in screening.

This information sheet presents new estimates of the annual number of new HIV infections (HIV incidence) in the United States released by CDC in August 2011. The estimates, for 2006 through 2009, are the first multi-year estimates using CDC’s national HIV incidence surveillance methodology, which is based on direct measurement of new HIV infections using a laboratory test (the BED HIV-1 Capture Enzyme Immunoassay) that can classify new diagnoses as either recent or long-standing HIV infections.

This report presents estimated numbers of HIV and AIDS diagnoses from the 42 areas (37 states and five US dependent areas) with confidential name-based HIV infection reporting since at least 2005. It also includes the statistics reported to CDC through 2008. The data presented in this report are subject to at least four limitations. First, HIV infection diagnoses might reflect both HIV incidence and testing patterns. Second, data were unavailable from certain states.

This serial reports on the Medical Monitoring Project (MMP). The MMP was designed to be a nationally representative, population-based surveillance system to assess clinical outcomes and behavioral outcomes among persons with HIV infection who are receiving medical care in the United States. This report covers data collected during June 2007 to September 2008 for patients who received medical care in 2007. Findings indicate that in 2007, most persons with HIV infection who were receiving medical care were taking antiretroviral therapy (ART), and had some form of health insurance or coverage.

In this report, the CDC used the National HIV Surveillance System data to estimate among youths, prevalence rates of diagnosed HIV infection in 2009 and the number of new infections in 2010. CDC used the 2009 and 2010 Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System for 9th -12th grade students and the 2010 National Health Interview Survey for persons 18-24 years. Prevalence of diagnosed HIV was 69.5 per 100,000 youths at the end of 2009. Youth accounted for 12,200 (25.7 percent) new HIV infections in 2010.

This information sheet presents the latest estimates of new HIV infections (HIV incidence) in the United States released by CDC. These estimates are included in the CDC report, "Estimated HIV Incidence among Adults and Adolescents in the United States 2007-2010," which updates previously published estimates for 2007 through 2009. The new estimates indicate two trends: early signs of a decrease in new HIV infections among black women and an increase in new infections among young gay and bisexual men.