Late HIV Testing - 34 States, 1996–2005
This article discusses the problem of late HIV testing in the United States and emphasizes the importance of HIV testing, diagnosis, and treatment, soon after HIV infection and before developing AIDS, to prevent more severe illness and death and reduce HIV transmission. Findings are reported from a study in which CDC analyzed data from 1996 - 2005 from 34 states with confidential name-based reporting to determine the percentage of persons who received an AIDS diagnosis less than or equal to 3 years after receiving an HIV diagnosis.